Tensai from Spain
by RoriandOreo
Summary: Changed the name from Learning to Trust to Tensai from Spain. Tensai from Sapin is about a girl who has to go to Japan alone for an operation and befriends the Seigaku tennis club and other various tennis players and teams from Japan.
1. Chapter 1

Tensai from Spain

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

A/N: Hey, everyone. Rori here. I've decided to go back and rewrite and add to the chapters that are currently up. I am also working on the chapters that will follow. I know, it's been over a year since I posted a new chapter. I guess I just want to say I'm sorry. I'll try and update more often from now on. Critique is very much welcomed, I want to improve as much as I can. Please enjoy!

_Spanish - _unless stated other wise

Prologue

My name's Ruri, and this is my story. I'm 5'6", 100 lbs, have a naturally dark tan, short light blue hair that hangs in my face, and light grey eyes. I love tennis and play whenever I can. I also play the piano. I have a twin sister named Keiko. She's timid but loves being the center of attention. Unlike me, she has long hair and doesn't play tennis competitively. She's our cook. Anyways, I'm getting off topic. On with the story!

School had just gotten out for the weekend and I was walking home with my best friend Ashley, from St. Augustine, our beloved school that was just outside of Madrid in the town of Alcobendas. I was broken from my thoughts when she spoke.

"Ruri, you can go to the movies on Friday right?" asked Ashley.

"Yep, my parents said it's alright," I replied glancing over to where she was walking next to me. Her dirty blond hair was pulled up into a pony tail, a pair of sunglasses rested on her nose. She had opted out against wearing the blazer that was a part of our school uniforms, instead she wore just the white blouse, red tie, gray skirt, and white knee high socks.

"Really? Yay! Keiko too?" I watched with amusement as she bounced around in front of me.

"Yep. Have you heard from Belle or Karin?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, but I'm sure-Hello? Ah Belle! Mm. You can? Karin too? Yay! That was Belle she said she and Karin can go," said Ashley jumping up and down. She got excited easily.

"Sweet. Well, see ya tomorrow, I'll tell Keiko Belle and Karin are coming too," I said heading down the next street to my house.

* * *

"I'm home," I called after I closed the front door. Our home was a modest two stories in the heart of Alcobendas shopping district. It was styled after the older homes that still stood in Madrid. Off white paint covered the plaster exterior making the deep red tiled roof stand out. A balcony could be seen as you approached the house. After walking inside a winding staircase occupied your immediate left and led to the bedrooms and studies. The right led to a kitchen and dining room. Directly to the front was a courtyard with a small fountain off to the side and a couple of trees. The second floor hallways could be seen from the ground floor.

"Ruri! Welcome home! Did you hear from Ashley, Belle, or Karin?" shouted my sister who was racing down the stairs from her room. She had already changed out of our uniform and had on jean shorts and a tank-top, an apron in her hand.

"Yeah, when I was walking home with Ashley she got a call from Belle saying she and Karin can go," I replied hugging my sister. "What's for dinner?"

"Mm, I was thinking of making enchiladas. Is that okay?" she asked, nibbling on her lip and glancing from me to the kitchen and back.

"Yep, want me to help you cook?" I asked my sister.

"Mm," she replied putting on her apron and heading towards the kitchen. My sister and I were half Japanese and half Spanish and we lived in Spain with our parents, Miki and Eli. They were both musicians and they would be home from work for a month, so my sister and I wanted to make dinner a bit special.

"Ruri? Are you coming?" she called.

"Huh? Yeah, want me to get the pan out?" I asked heading to the kitchen.

* * *

"Ah~! I'm so happy! We finally have a week off!" said Ashley as we headed to the theater to watch the new vampire movie that had come out.

I heard Belle sigh. "Something wrong Captain?" I asked looking at her.

"No, it's just…I have no idea why she's still our manager," said Belle hanging her head and sighing again.

I laughed. "She's our manager because despite how she acts she's smart," I said.

"Oh! That's right! Ruri, Keiko your parents came home yesterday right? How are they?" asked Ashley bouncing over to Keiko and I.

"They're good, they were really happy when they saw that Keiko had made enchiladas," I replied smiling.

"Though I think I made them too spicy, Dad's eyes were watering," said Keiko looking embarrassed.

"It was funny though!" I said laughing at the memory. My mom had even laughed. That's when I felt my knee's start to buckle. My eye's widened and I heard my sister and teammates' calling my name but it was too far away. My eyesight flickered once. Twice. And I knew no more.

* * *

"Ah, I think she's waking up…" The voice reached my ears. It sounded like I was underwater.

"…Ruri…"

"Can you hear me?"

As the sounds got clearer I opened my eyes. My mom, dad and sister's faces came into view. "Huh? What's going on?" I asked looking confused. I felt oddly groggy, like I hadn't sleep well."And where are we?" I glanced around. The room was sparse: a window, bed, table, and chair were the only objects that stood out.

"Ruri, you blacked out on the way to the theater," said my mom Eli grabbing my hand and squeezing it. "You're in the hospital."

"Hospital?" I parroted. At that moment the door opened and a man in a white coat came walked in.

"Ah, Miss Ruri. You're awake, that's good," he smiled before turning to the rest of my family as well. "Mr. and Mrs. Oshitari, Miss Keiko, Miss Ruri. I'm afraid I have some bad news, your daughter has Guillain–Barré syndrome."

'Guillain–Barré?' My eyes widened at the implication.

"And I'm afraid the only place that can currently treat Guillain–Barré is in Japan," the doctor continued.

"Japan?" asked my mom, disbelieve in her voice. She reached for my dad's hand.

"Um, mom? I'll be fine. Promise," I said squeezing the hand that still held mine.

"Are you sure?" she asked snaking an arm out to hold my father's hand.

"I'll miss you, but yeah, I'll be fine. I, I don't think I could live if I couldn't play tennis anymore. Or the piano."

"Okay then, Mr. and Mrs. Oshitari, here's the number for the hospital. It's in Tokyo," the doctor said handing my father a piece of paper and smiling. "Miss. Ruri, I wish you the best of luck," and with that he left after handing the discharge papers to my parents.

"Well," I said smiling. "Looks like I'm going to Japan."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

It was 6 months after I had arrived in Japan and I had just been released from the hospital. I had to go back once every month for a checkup. 'That was going to be hard', I thought. 'But if I was able to play tennis again I would be happy'. I was currently standing outside of a house that was owned by my dad's older brother. It looked nice and my parents had said that my cousin would be staying with me to make sure I was alright.

"Mmm? And who might you be?" I heard a voice behind me ask.

"I could ask you the same thing," I replied turning around, recognizing the sound of my cousin from when we had talked on the phone. "Oshitari Ruri."

"Eh? Oshitari Ruri, huh? So you're my cousin," he said. He had dark blue hair and he wore glasses. A tennis bag was slung over one shoulder along with a blazer. "Come on, might want to go inside before it starts raining."

"'kay," I replied, following him inside the modest more traditional style two story house. Once inside I noticed a large room to the front with a staircase of to the right. I caught sight of a doorway just as my cousin disappeared behind it. Sliding glass doors to the left led to a small porch with some flowers and a bonsai tree. A coach sat with its back to the stairs, small table rested in front of it. I finished taking in the room and slipped off my shoes and grabbed a pair of slippers.

"You're going to Seigaku, right?" he asked from in the kitchen.

"Yea, what school do you go to?" I asked, leaning against the doorway.

"…" he didn't reply right away, he had started making tea. " Hyotei Gakuen, it's not far from Seigaku."

"Meow," I glanced down to see a black long haired cat rub up against my leg, making me smile.

"You have a cat," I said bending down to pet him. "What's his name?"

"Nikki, and it's a girl," he replied walking over to me. "Here," he said offering me a cup of tea.

"Thanks."

"No problem," he replied walking over to the couch and sitting down. "Your uniforms upstairs in your room, by the way. It's the first room on the left the bathrooms the next room down on the left."

"Thank you," I said heading up the stairs.

"Dinner will be ready in about an hour," Yushi said.

"Okay."

* * *

"You sure you'll be alright?" my cousin asked again, the following morning as he adjusted his tie and made sure he had all of his things and I had all of mine.

"Yes, I'm sure I'll be fine Yushi-san," I replied and headed out the door before he could ask again. He had given me a map of where Hyotei was from Seigaku and the house we were sharing in case I ever needed anything.

"I'll see you after school!" I said to him before turning left and walking down the street.

"Right," he replied waving, heading in the opposite direction.

* * *

"Oshitari…Oshitari…Ah! Here it is!" exclaimed the secretary. "Oshitari Ruri, Class 3-6. Here," she handed me my schedule and a map. "Good luck," she said as I left to find my classroom. 'Okay, that's on the third floor.' Once I was on the third floor I started looking for my new class room. 'Class 3-6…3-1…3-4…Ah, Class 3-6'. Before I could open the door, someone from the other side opened it.

"Ah, you're Oshitari Ruri-san, right?" asked a woman who I took to be the teacher.

"Hai," I replied. She looked to be in her mid-thirties with shoulder length brown hair and glasses covering chocolate brown eyes.

"Come in, I'll introduce you to the class," and with that she turned around and heading back into the classroom calling out to the class for their attention as I followed her inside. "Okay, today we have a new transfer student, her name is Oshitari Ruri." The whole class was murmuring as I took my seat. "Okay everyone take out your books and turn to page…"

* * *

"Oshitari Ruri?" I heard a curious voice behind me ask. It was lunch and most of the students had already left.

"Hai?" I replied turning around to see two guys. One had his eyes closed and was smiling while the other had dark red hair with a white piece of cloth on his right check.

"Would you like to have lunch with us?" asked the guy who had his eyes closed.

"Mm…Sure," I replied standing up and following them out of the classroom in the direction I hoped was the lunch room.

"By the way I'm Fuji Shusuke," said the guy who had his eyes closed.

"And I'm Kikumaru Eiji. Nice to meet you nya~!" said the guy with the red hair.

"Nice to meet you," I replied looking around at the surroundings. "Where are we going?"

"The cafeteria," replied Fuji. "The other regulars probably want to meet you."

"Regulars?"

"We're on the tennis team nya~," said Kikumaru giving me the piece sign.

"Oh," I said surprised. I had been on the tennis team with my sister and best friend before having to move.

"Do you play tennis Ruri-chan?" asked Kikumaru.

"Hmm," I replied. 'I wonder if I should tell them about the team I was on…Nah they'd probably find out eventually'. "I played with my sister."

"You have a sister?" he exclaimed.

"We're here," interrupted Fuji.

"Nya~! Oishi!" shouted Kikumaru running towards another third year student who was sitting at a table completely ignoring the two of us. I glanced around. The room was about the same size as the one back at St. Augustine's. The freshman were easy to pick out, as were the seniors.

"Uh…"

"He's always like that, don't worry," said Fuji following Kikumaru. I trailed behind, familiarizing myself with my new classmates. "You'll get used to it." I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, slightly suspicious now.

"Ah, Fuji-senpai," said who I guessed to be a second year with purple eyes and black spiky hair. "Who's the girl next to you?"

"The new transfer student," Fuji replied sitting down and gesturing for me to sit next to him.

"Oshitari Ruri, it's nice to meet you," I said nodding not only to him but the other students sitting at the table as well.

"Oshitari?" repeated the second year with the black spiky hair.

"Oshitari? Like the one from Hyotei?" exclaimed a curious first year.

"I didn't know he had a sister," said a third year with short brown hair.

"Ano…I'm not his sister," I replied chuckling softly. "He's my cousin." 'This was going to be an interesting year…'

"But you are related to him?" asked Eiji.

"Yes."

"Is that why you play tennis?" asked Fuji while taking out his bento.

"No, I only meet him yesterday," I replied. 'Apparently Fuji-san hadn't really paid attention to me when I was talking to Kikumaru-san.'

"You only meet him yesterday? Where'd you live before if you just meet him nya~?" asked Kikumaru.

"Um…I lived in Spain." There was no way I was telling them I had been in a hospital for the past 6 months. Not until I could trust them to not spill it to the whole school.

"You lived in Spain?" asked Kikumaru disbelievingly staring at me with wide eyes. "But you speak Japanese so…well!" He exclaimed gesturing wildly.

"Spain? Where's that?" asked the second year with the black spiky hair who's brows where furrowed in confusion.

"Baka. Spain is in Europe," said another second year. "Psssshhh."

"What was that Mamoshi ?" demanded the other second year, standing up.

"Ano…Fuji-san, what are their names?" I asked turning away from Kikumaru and the two second years fighting.

"Ah, that's right they haven't introduced themselves," said Fuji. "Ma…mina, I think you should introduce yourselves."

"Ah, you're right Fuji-san!" said the third year Kikumaru had run to when we first entered the cafeteria. "Oishi Syuichirou I'm the vice-captain."

"Inui Sadaharu," said a third year with black hair and glasses, though I couldn't see his eyes. He also had a notebook with him. 'What it was for…I had no idea. And I didn't really want to know.'

"Kaido Kaoru," said one of the second years that had been fighting. And still was.

'I wonder if all those two do is fight…'

"Takeshi Momoshiro," said the other second year the one with spiky black hair, glaring at Kaido-san.

"Takeshi Kawamura," said the third year who had wondered if I was Yushi's sister.

"Echizen Ryoma," murmured the sole first year at the table, pulling his cap lower over his face.

"And I'm Tezuka Kunimitsu, Captain," said a third year I hadn't noticed was there. He had brown hair and glasses and a serious look. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," I replied.

Ring.

"Eh? Whose phone is that?"

Ring.

"Echizen, is it yours?"

"Don't have one," he replied pulling his hat down over his face. I rolled my eyes before answering my phone.

Ri-

"Hello?" I said answering my phone, smiling when the tennis regulars all stopped and looked at me.

"Ruri-san? It's me. How's school?" asked my cousin.

"It's fine."

"Make any friends?"

"Mm…yeah."

"That's good. See you at the house," Yushi said before hanging up. 'Huh. That was short,' I thought as I glanced down at my phone in faint amusement.

"Ne, Ruri-chan, who was that?" asked Kikumaru.

"Oh, it was just my cousin checking up on me," I replied finishing up my lunch and standing up to leave. "It was nice meeting you. Ja ne."

* * *

I was the first one to arrive at the classroom after lunch was over. As soon as the bell rang the students started coming in, including Fuji-san and Kikumaru-san.

"Ruri-chan~!" I heard Kikumaru-san say from the direction of the doorway. "Will you come to the tennis courts after school with us?"

"Hmm…" Yushi-san might not like it but I didn't see why I couldn't. "Sure. I wouldn't be in the way though, would I?" I asked looking over at them. I had a feeling I didn't want to upset there captain.

"It's fine," said Fuji-san smiling before continuing down the aisle to his seat.

"Yeah!" said Kikumaru-san jumping up and down before following Fuji-san and heading to his seat.

* * *

After the bell rang signaling the end of class I got my things together and followed Fuji-san and Kikumaru-san out to the tennis courts.

"Wow," I said when we got out to the tennis courts.

"Stay here 'kay?" said Kikumaru-san grabbing Fuji-san and heading towards the changing room. "We have to go change."

"Okay," I replied, looking around. There were already some students on the tennis courts setting up the nets and bringing tennis balls out. I recognized a few of the students on the court, they were in a few of my classes. I also recognized the regulars who I had been introduced to at lunch. Though it seems they didn't see me as they just headed to the changing room that Fuji-san and Kikumaru-san had entered a few minutes ago.

"Ruri-chan, over here!" yelled Kikumaru-san, I hadn't seen him leave the changing room.

"Huh? Ah," I replied turning towards where he had called. When I got closer to the courts I released they were almost as good as the ones I had played on back in Spain.

"Bucho said you could sit here," he told me when I got closer, pointing to a bench just inside the fence around one set of courts.

"Okay," I replied sitting on the bench. "How long is your practice?" I asked curious swinging my legs back and forth, looking at the some of the team that was already practicing.

"Hmm…It depends on Bucho, Inui, and sometimes Ryuzaki-sensei," he replied.

"Inui?" I asked. Wasn't that the name of one of the regulars?

"Ah, because Ochibi beat him in the Ranking Matches he's been working with Ryuzaki-sensei to help come up with our training regime," he replied shuddering a little at a memory.

"Uh…Who's Ochibi?"

"Oh, that's what I call Echizen nya~," he replied smiling.

"Everyone gather!" a voice yelled, I looked towards the source and saw Tezuka-san.

"Ah!" exclaimed Kikumaru-san. "I have to go, see you after practice Ruri-chan!"

"Ah," I replied looking after him to see the whole team gathered with the regulars in front. I could just hear what Tezuka-san was saying.

"…said that Hyotei…sometime today…practice match…don't…careless." was all I could distinguish from what he was saying. But it looked like they would be playing Hyotei…meaning my cousin was going to be there. Crap.

'Speaking of the devil and he shall appear.'

"Ruri. What are you doing here?" I turned around when I heard the voice, hoping he wouldn't tell my parents. (They had clearly said that I had to go straight home unless I asked them first).

"Hi," I replied looking rather sheepish. "Um…well Kikumaru-san asked if I would come down to watch their practice."

"Did you ask your parents?" he asked looking like I was giving him a head ache.

"…uh…no, but I didn't want to wake them up!" I replied in my defense. My parents were in America for a small concert series.

"Whatever," he replied heading towards the Seigaku tennis team who didn't looked like they had expected them to arrive there that soon.

"Oshitari-san, who were you talking to?" asked another guy with red hair who was standing with who I assumed were the Hyotei tennis team.

"Hmm? Oh, my cousin," he replied after turning around. "If you touch her I will be forced to kill you…Or so her parents said," he told the redhead with mock seriousness. I smirked; my parents knew I could take care of myself.

"A-ah," the redhead replied walking quickly away.

'Mm', I thought. 'I wonder if it was my mom who threatened him with that…I doubt dad would say that to his own nephew.'

* * *

After the practice matches were over (Hyotei winning) the Seigaku regulars were grumbling as they entered their changing rooms while the Hyotei members got ready to leave. I was also getting ready to leave when Yushi walked up to me.

"Ruri? My team would like to meet you."

"Mm? Okay, why?"

"I'm not sure, but they keep insisting in wanting to meet you," he replied walking back towards his friends with me following behind closely.

"Oshitari! Why didn't you tell us you're living with your cousin?" asked the redhead when we got closer.

"Because I just meet her yesterday," he replied, smirking. "Ruri, this is the captain Atobe Keigo," he pointed towards the guy who had silver hair and an arrogant look on his face. I smirked.

"Be awed by Ore-sama's presence."

"Kabaji Munehiro," he pointed to a guy with dark hair and brown eyes.

"Usu."

"Akutagawa Jiro," he said pointed to the tennis player that was being carrying by Kabaji. I raised an eyebrow, he was sleeping.

"…"

"Mukahi Gakuto," he said pointed to the redhead he had been talking to when they had first arrived. I wrinkled my nose in distaste.

"Oshitari~! Answer me!"

"Shishido Ryo," he pointed to a tennis player that had a blue hat on backwards.

"Yo." I nodded back politely.

"And Otori Chotaro," he said pointing to the tennis player next to Shishido, he was taller and had silver hair.

"It's nice to meet you."

"Ano...Atobe-san, why do you talk in third person?" I asked. Everyone stared at me as if I had broken some unspoken rule.

"Oshitari, did you not tell her?" I heard Mukahi-san stage whisper to Yushi.

"Mm? I didn't bother to tell her. I wanted to see Atobe's reaction."

Mukahi stared at him instead.

Meanwhile, it looked as if Atobe couldn't believe what he had heard.

"Um, did I say something I wasn't supposed to?" I asked right before Yushi grabbed my arm and turning me around.

"He's the heir to a rich family," he whispered.

"Oh, I still don't see the problem," I said staring at Yushi. "Anyway, I'm going home," I said to him before leaving.

"Did she just…?"

"Wow…"

"Brave girl…"

Atobe just smiled.

'Who would have thought that I would meet him here…'


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

The week passed by without further incidents until the following Monday, the day I was supposed to go for my checkup. Woo-hoo.

"Ruri-chan! You'll come to watch the practice today?" asked Kikumaru as I was packing up to leave.

"Um…I can stay for a while but I'll have to leave a bit early," I reply hoping he won't be too put down.

"Okay, but why?"

"Oh, there's somewhere I have to go."

"And where would that be?" I heard Fuji say coming up behind me.

"Gah! Please don't scare me like that Fuji-san," I said putting a hand to my chest from the fright. Normally I wouldn't be this scared, but since I was still sort of recovering from the surgery…Well I think you get it.

"So where do you have to go nya~?" asked Kikumaru grabbing his bag and me and heading out the door.

"Um…" I didn't really want to tell them, I mean yeah they were my friends but I didn't want them to worry. "I have to go to the…supermarket." Plus the doctor that had been my surgeon…Dr. Takahasi had told me that he knew another tennis player that had the same surgery as me and had lived too.

"Supermarket? Can we go with you?" asked Kikumaru looking back at me.

"Um…" he really had me there. I didn't want to make him sad but I also didn't want him to worry. "Yushi's going with me so…" I didn't have to finish the sentence, Kikumaru understood. If my cousin was there his doubles partner, Mukahi would most likely be there.

"Oh, okay. Maybe next time?"

"Sure," I replied feeling guilty about lying to him.

"Oh, and you can call me Eiji if you want," he said smiling at me.

"Eh? O-okay."

"C'mon Fujiko!" said Eiji.

Down at the tennis courts everything was exactly as it had been the week before. The second and third years were hitting balls back and forth while the first years were swinging rackets.

"Ah, Oshitari-san you're here again today?" I heard a voice behind me say.

"Mm, Eiji-san invited me, but I have to leave a bit early today," I replied turning around to face Oishi-san.

"Oh, well I hope he didn't bug you too much about why you have to leave early," Oishi-san replied sheepishly.

"He didn't, don't worry."

"Okay."

_Ring._

"Huh?"

_Ring_.

"I wonder who's calling me?"

_Ri-_

"Hello?"

"_Ah, Ruri! How are you? I'm sorry I haven't called, we've been really busy with the tournaments coming up_!"

"_Hola, Keiko I'm good. How are you? And how is the team doing_?"

"Do you know what she's saying?"

"_I'm fine. Mom and Dad say hi. Belle and Karin are really missing you right now. They're not sure they can win the tournament without you."_

"What language is that…"

"_I'm sure they'll be fine. I have to go so talk to you later_?"

"I didn't know she spoke another language…"

"_Yep, bye!"_

_"Adios."_

* * *

After I put the phone back in my pocket, I looked up to see everyone on the tennis courts staring at me. Oh yeah, they didn't know I was from Spain. Well, most of them didn't know.

"Oshitari-san? Who were you talking to?" I heard Oishi-san ask.

"Oh, it was my sister wondering how I was doing," I replied smiling.

"Ok. Well, I better go."

"Okay, ja ne."

About an hour before the tennis practice was to end, (the only decent players on the team were the regulars) I got up to leave, when I spotted my cousin walking towards me in his school uniform.

"Yo, ready to go?" he asked.

"Yep," I replied. As we left the tennis courts I could hear them murmuring until Tezuka-san shouted for practice to continue.

"I should come here more often…"I heard Yushi mutter.

"Mmm…Why?"

"Huh? Oh, no reason," he replied smiling.

"Ha…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

"Ruri-chan! Good morning!" I heard Eiji-san shout from behind. I turned around to see him and the rest of the tennis regulars.

"Good morning Eiji-san," I replied, stopping to wait for them to catch up.

"Ne, ne Ruri-chan. Do you speak any languages besides Japanese and Spanish?" Eiji asked when they had caught up to me.

"Yeah, I can speak English."

"Eh? Really? Sugoi nya~!" Eiji replied jumping up and down, drawing attention to himself.

"Eiji, calm down," Oishi-san pleaded with Eiji.

"Aw~ but I don't know anyone who can speak three languages!"

"Kikumaru, leave the girl be," Tezuka-san scolded the acrobat. "We're almost at school."

"Eeeeh? Okay…"

"Psst."

"Ruri-chan!"

"Ruri!"

"What?" I whispered back. Eiji had been trying to get my attention for most of first period, which was quite distracting. I was horrible with math.

"There isn't any tennis practice today. Do you want to go to some street tennis courts that are nearby after school?"

"Um…"

"Aw! Please nya~ I want to see you play tennis!"

"…" Maybe playing lightly…would be okay… "Okay, but just this once okay?"

"Yeah!" Eiji replied, a little too loud.

"Kikumaru," warned the teacher.

"Ah, gomen, gomen," he replied smiling.

"Don't let it happen again," she replied heading back to the front of the room.

* * *

"C'mon! Ruri-chan hurry up nya~," exclaimed Eiji tugging me along towards what I guessed to be the street tennis courts.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. It's not like the tennis courts are gonna disappear just like that," I replied, smiling. As soon as class had been dismissed, Eiji had grabbed me and practically dragged me off the school grounds and towards the tennis courts.

After a few more minutes of walking Eiji stopped, and shouted "We're here! C'mon Ruri-chan."

"I'm coming. Ne, Eiji-san will there be anyone else there?" I asked. Glancing around curiously as we approached a flight of stairs.

"Mmm…Sometimes there are just people who like to play tennis but aren't on a team and sometimes there are regulars form other schools. There shouldn't be too many people at this time of day."

"Hmm. Eiji-san I can borrow one of your rackets?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks."

"Ruri, what are you doing here?" I heard a voice ask, that sounded a lot like my cousin. Crap…I suddenly got a bad feeling about coming with Eiji to the tennis courts.

"Hey Yushi. Um…you see…Eiji-san asked me to come with him to some tennis courts by school since they didn't have practice…Wait. Aren't you supposed to be at practice?" I asked remembering my cousin was also on a tennis team for his school and turning on him.

"I am at practice," he replied. That was when I noticed the rest of his team hanging around the courts.

"Ruri-chan, come on let's play," Eiji said, starting to drag me to an open court, ignoring my cousin and his teammates.

"Ah, I'm coming."

"Wait…you're not? Ruri! You know what the doctor and your parents said!"I saw his face fill with worry.

"I'll be fine. I'm only gonna play lightly," I replied looking away from him and waving my hand.

"Eh? What's he talking about Ruri-chan? What doctor?" Eiji asked, confused.

"Ah! You're Oshitari's cousin, yes?" said the captain of the Hyotei team, Atobe-san walking up.

"Ruri, your parents will kill you if they find out," I heard Yushi say.

"Ruri~ nya answer me!"

"Hello Atobe-san. And no Yushi, my parents won't kill me. And Eiji-san he was talking about Dr. Takahasi. My…um…Promise me you won't tell anyone!" I suddenly yelled at Eiji, startling him.

"I promise I won't tell anyone," he said suddenly looking unsure of himself.

"Why can't he tell anyone?" Atobe asked, shocking everyone within hearing distance.

"Eh? Um…because Dr. Takahasi is my surgeon," I replied looking off to the side.

"Surgeon?" questioned Eiji.

"The only reason I came to Japan was so I could be treated for…"

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ri-_

"Hello?" I answered.

"Ruri, it' dad. Is Yushi there?"

"Dad? Ya, he's here. Why?"

"Can I talk to him? I can't get through to his phone."

"Sure," I replied confused. Why does my dad need to talk to Yushi? "Yushi, it's my dad. He wants to talk to you. Says he can't get through to your phone."

After I handed him the phone I watched his expression to try and find any clue as to what my dad was saying to him. His face went like this: neutral, surprise, and then neutral again. He didn't say much, mostly just listened to what my dad said to him.

"What did he want?" I asked my cousin as he handed me back my phone.

Instead of answering, he just stared at me for what seemed like forever. He finally spoke up "Your doctor just got off the phone with uncle, he said as long as you don't draw the matches out to long, you can play all you want."

"Eh? Really! Sugoi!" I yelled running to Yushi and hugging him.

"Nya~! Ruri, what's going on?" Eiji whined.

"I can play tennis again! C'mon Eiji play a match with me!" I shouted running back to him and grabbing him, tugging him towards an open court.

"Again? You couldn't before?" Eiji asked, following me towards the court.

"Mm. I had to have surgery because I was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré in Spain," I said taking the racket Eiji was handing me.

"Eh?" he exclaimed.

"You have…"

"Are you serious?"

"Isn't that what the captain of Rikkaidai has?"

"Mm? Is something wrong?" I asked. Yes Guillain-Barré was rare but, was there really a need to get so worked up about it?

"No, c'mon let's play nya~," said Eiji heading towards the net.

"Be careful. She's very strong," Atobe warned Eiji before the match started (Eiji won first serve).

"Eh? Really Ruri-chan?" Eiji asked looking at me from across the net.

"Really, Eiji-kun," I replied smirking. It felt so good to be back on a tennis court.

A/N: Just for the record, I have no idea how to write a tennis match, but I'll give it my best (If I get something wrong please tell me!). Hope ya like it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"Okay, it's a one set match. Kikumaru to serve," said Atobe who had volunteered to be the referee. That had surprised everyone.

"Ready Ruri-chan?" asked Eiji holding the tennis ball, getting ready to serve.

"I'm ready," I replied smiling. I watched as Eiji tossed the ball up and hit it. Before the ball could bounce I ran to where it would fall, easily hitting it back and surprising Eiji and everyone watching.

"0-15."

"S-sugoi! Ruri-chan!" exclaimed Eiji. I guess he hadn't taken Atobe's warning seriously.

And just like the first time Eiji hit the ball I returned it before he could react, winning the first game.

"1-0 Oshitari," I heard Atobe say (He sounded smug). But I wasn't really paying attention; I was getting ready to serve.

"Ruri-chan I didn't know you were that good! Did you play on a team or something?" Eiji asked smiling.

"Something like that," I replied before serving. Eiji ran to it but missed, earning me a point.

"15-0"

The game went on like that until I heard shouting come from the other end of the street tennis courts. Almost like someone was arguing. Or more like several someone's.

"Huh? That sounds like…Ah, Ochibi!" and with that Eiji shot of the court to where the shouting was coming from.

"Huh? Eiji?" I asked myself, confused. Looking after him as he disappeared from the court.

When I walked over to the other side of the tennis courts there were several people there and most of the people were arguing. Eiji was also hanging off of Echizen. And by the looks of it, Echizen wasn't very happy with it. The only people there that I recognized beside Eiji and Echizen was Momoshiro-san. But that was it.

"Ano, Eiji-san…" I said trying to grab his attention. "What about the game…"

"Eh? Ah, gomen Ruri-chan! I forgot! Hehe," he replied getting off of Echizen and walking towards me, completely forgetting about his teammates in favor of playing tennis.

"Mm? You're playing a match?" someone asked. When I looked in the direction the voice came from I saw two guys. One had a black hat on and a very serious expression. The other one, the one that had talked had sort of dark blue hair, but like it had a bit of purple, or some other color in it.

"Ah! You're the captain of…" said Eiji unable to finish his sentence for some reason.

"Yes, the captain of Rikkaidai," the blue haired man replied, smiling.

"Eiji," I whispered. "Who is he?"

"The captian of the Rikkaidai tennis team, Yukimura Seiichi," he replied, gulping. "Rikkaidai has won the Nationals for the last three years," he added looking in the captain's direction.

"Ruri, aren't you going to finish your match?" asked my cousin coming up behind me. He was probably wondering what was taking so long.

"Hmm? I think so," I replied. "Are we going to finish our match Eiji?" I asked Eiji ignoring the captain for now.

"Wha? Yeah! C'mon!" he replied, grabbing my arm and pulling us back towards the court we had been playing on.

"May we watch the match?" asked the captain of the Rikkiadai, Yukimura-san.

"Uh, sure," replied Eiji glancing behind us before continuing towards the court we had been playing on.

"Are you going to continue from where you left off?" Atobe asked, looking at us as we reappeared with the captain of Rikkaidai and his friend who was mostly likely a teammate as well.

"Ahn? And what are you two doing here?" asked Atobe as Eiji and I got back into our positions on the court.

"Atobe-kun, what a pleasant surprise," said Yukimura-san turning to smile at the heir. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Atobe replied.

"Um, I hate to break up this reunion but can we get back to the match?" I asked looking over to where Atobe and the captain of Rikkaidai were standing. I raised an eyebrow.

"Mmm. Mmm," said Eiji agreeing with me, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Huh? Ah, yes. I believe it was 3-1 Oshitari with Kikumaru serving," Atobe stated returning to the referees chair.

"Oshitari?" asked the blue haired captain, looking up to where Atobe was sitting.

"She's Yushi's cousin," Atobe replied before returning to the game before him.

"Hmm," was all the captain said.

After that Eiji and I got to finish our game.

"Ready Ruri-chan?" called Eiji holding the tennis ball and getting ready to serve.

"Yep, bring it on," I replied smiling and waiting for him to serve the ball.

"0-15" called Atobe when I returned the ball after Eiji had served it.

"Hmm, she quite good. Don't you think Sanada?" asked the blue haired captain to the teenager with the black hat that was standing next to him.

"She is," was all he said before I had to turn my attention back to the court, as Eiji was getting ready to serve again.

"0-30" said Atobe leaning on his hand. "Can we just end this? Considering it's so one-sided?" Atobe asked looking over at Eiji.

"Eh? No way!" shouted the red head in protest, looking at Atobe. "We're playing till the match is over!"

"Okay, okay," he replied.

* * *

"I want a re-match nya~!" said Eiji as I handed him back his racket so he could put it away. The game had ended 6-3 in my favor.

"Okay," I replied smiling happy that I could play tennis again, even if I was only allowed to play lightly for now.

"Your Oshitari Ruri, yes?" asked the blue haired captain of Rikkaidai walking up to me with his friend in tow.

"Eh? I am," I replied a bit on the wary side because of how Eiji had acted around him earlier. "Why?"

"I'd like to talk with you if that's alright," he asked smiling.

I frowned. Yushi and the rest of his team along with Eiji's teammates had already left, leaving me Eiji and the two guys from Rikkaidai alone at the courts.

"Eiji, do you mind?" I asked glancing over at him. I wanted to hear what he had to say.

"No, go ahead. See ya at school tomorrow Ruri-chan!" he said before grabbing his bag and heading off of the courts.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked Yukimura-san after Eiji had vanished from sight.

"You were not playing at your full strength, yes?" he asked sounding innocent.

"E-eh? How did…how did you know?" I stuttered, taking a step back, surprised that someone who didn't know my style of tennis could tell I hadn't been playing at my full strength.

Yukimura-san just laughed before answering me. "It seemed to me that you were being overly careful when you were playing," he answered. 'Crap!' I thought. 'Please don't say anymore, please don't say anymore!' But of course the world was against me at that very moment. "Now, why would that be?" he asked, looking at me in a very serious yet non-serious way.

"Um…" was all I managed before someone flew past me. I blinked in surprise.

"'Mura! There you are!" shouted the blur of a guy with shoulder length silver hair.

"Niou, what are you doing here?" asked Yukimura-san, who didn't look surprised at all.

"We came to look for you of course," the person named Niou replied.

"We?" questioned the captain.

"Yes we," came another voice, except this one wasn't flying past me, for which I was grateful for.

"Ah, Yagyu. Are you two the only ones that came?"

"Yes," the man replied coming to stand next to his captain.

"Hmm? Who is that?" he asked looking at me.

"Oshitari Ruri," I replied before nodding in greeting.

"Oshitari? Like the one from Hyotei?" the guy named Yagyu asked.

"Yes," replied Yukimura-san before I could. I scowled.

"Well, if you'll excuse me I should get going," I said hoping that the captain would just drop it with why I hadn't played at full strength.

"Wait," I heard Yukimura-san say right after I had turned around. 'Guess I was gonna have to answer him.' "You never answered my question," he said raising an eyebrow at me as I turned back around.

"Hehe…about that my doctor said that I could only play lightly," I told him hoping that he would not question further.

"Your doctor?"

'Of course. Anyone would be curious after hearing that,' I wondered how I was going to answer that.

"Yes, now I really should be going," I said switching from one foot to another.

"Be safe," he said smiling before turning around and gesturing for his friends to follow him. 'Huh, maybe he wouldn't find out after all…'


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

The next day could again find me being pulled by Eiji down to the tennis courts.

"Choto Eiji! Slow down!" I rushed out. Eiji, Fuji-san, and I were practically running through the halls down to the tennis courts. As soon as the bell had rung for class to be over he had jumped up, grabbed my arm and Fuji-san's and raced out of the classroom with us in tow and no explanation, though I had a good guess.

"But I want a re-match!" Eiji whined as we finally made it out of the confines of the hallways. I mentally rolled my eyes at his childness.

"Re-match?" questioned Fuji as we came to a stop by the schools tennis courts.

"Yeah, Eiji and I played a match yesterday at the street tennis courts by here," I told him as I tried to pull my arm out of Eiji's grip.

"Mmm? Who won?" Fuji asked looking at the both of us.

"I did," I replied. "That's why Eiji wants a rematch."

"Ah, senpai aren't you going to get changed?" Momoshiro-san asked walking over to us with his racket tucked under his arm. Echizen was next to him, he also had his racket.

"We're going now," said Fuji, grabbing Eiji and pulling him towards the changing room. I heard Eiji whining the whole way about his rematch.

"Ruri-senpai, why were you at the street tennis courts yesterday with Eiji-senpai?" Momoshiro-san asked cocking his head to the side.

"I was playing tennis."

"Eh? You play tennis senpai?" Echizen asked who tilted his head to the side, as if trying to figure me out.

"Yes," I replied, as I chuckled mentally with anticipation.

"Who won?" Momoshiro asked.

"I did."

The two regulars were quite when they heard my answer; they were quite for a long time until they found their mouths again.

"EH? You beat Eiji-senpai?" Momoshiro shouted. He had a look of disbelieve on his face. Echizen's face was hidden under his hat so I didn't know what he was feeling but, now I was in a bit of a pickle. You see Momoshiro had shouted loud enough for everyone on the tennis courts to hear. And they were now looking in our direction. And everyone included the regulars for the tennis team I had met on my first day at school. I grimced.

"Um…Momoshiro-san…" I said looking around at the tennis players that had shock and surprise written on their faces.

"Ruri-chan! Eh? What's everyone looking at?" I heard Eiji say coming up behind me.

"Momoshiro-san didn't um…quite believe that I had beat you and ended up shouting out that I had beat you in tennis," I told him swallowing nervously.

"So?" But before Eiji could elaborate, the non-regulars started whispering and pointing behind us.

"Huh? I wonder what they're talking about," said Momoshiro looking back to look at the tennis courts. "Ah, Bucho."

When I saw that Tezuka was looking behind Eiji and I, I turned around to see what he was looking at. 'What the hell is he doing here?' I thought, my eyes popping open at the sight before me. There were 8 boys in the Rikkaidai school uniform with tennis bags and four of them I had seen/met yesterday. 'Why are they here?' I asked myself recovering from the surprise in time to realize that they had gotten close enough to talk to.

"Yukimura, what are you doing here?" I heard Tezuka ask the captain for he was behind Eiji and I still.

"It's been a long time Tuzuka and to answer your question I'm here to see Oshitari Ruri," the captain of Rikkaidai said smiling while also looking at me.

"Oshitari Ruri? Why?" 'Crap. At this rate they were going to find out. Crap. Crap. Crap!'

"There's something I'd like to confirm."

"Fine. Just don't disturb our practice," Tezuka said to the captain after a while.

"We won't. You have my word," replied the captain of Rikkaidai. "Ruri-san do you mind coming with us so that we don't disturb there practice?"

"I don't mind…See you later Eiji," I told my friend before grabbing my bag and following the tennis players from Rikkaidai.

"Bye nya~! Be careful," I heard Eiji shout. I turned around and waved before continuing to follow Yukimura-san and his team.

* * *

"The street tennis courts? Is that why you had my go home to grab my tennis stuff before telling me what you want?" I asked when I saw where we were going. 'But why had he taken me to the tennis courts if he just wanted to talk? 'Man', I thought. 'I could be so stupid sometimes.'

"Mm, yes," he replied, turning around and smiling at me.

"I'm not gonna have to play you am I?" I asked narrowing my eyes in warriness. I had went onto the internet the night before and found out that he was one of the top tennis players in the junior high circuit in Japan. I knew if I had to play I would have to play more than I had yesterday, which might put me back in the hospital. And I did not want to go back there.

"Ha! Like Bucho would play some girl like you," I heard one of the players say to the guy next to him.

"Akaya," said the guy with the black hat that had been with Yukimura-san when I had played against Eiji.

"What? I just want to save her the humiliation of losing," replied the boy named Akaya shrugging his shoulders and looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Would you care to repeat that?" I asked the boy looking at him with a sickly sweet smile on my face and my eyes closed.

"E-eh? Uh…" was all he uttered before scampering behind Sanada-san, hiding.

"Huh, she looks like that tensai from Seigaku when she does that…"I heard another guy remark, probably to himself that had been at the tennis courts the day before. And if I remembered correctly his name was…Niou.

"Ruri-san have you ever been to the Kanai General Hospital?" Yukimura-san asked bringing my attention back to him and changing the subject.

"…Kanai? I have…Why?" Now my eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Then you would know a doctor Takahasi?" by that time we had arrived at the courts and Yukimura was grabbing his racket.

"What are you getting at?" I asked, eyes narrowing dangerously also grabbing my racket from my bag.

"Why did you move here from Spain 6 months ago?"

"How the hell do you know that? And you didn't answer my question."

"You came for surgery because they didn't have the one you needed in Spain, yes?" he asked, still calm.

"…" I didn't answer. I just glared at him. "What is the point of these questions?" I demanded after I calmed myself down a little.

"Like I said to Tezuka-san, I just had something I wanted to confirm," he stated grabbing a tennis ball from his bag now.

"And what would that be?" I asked going to stand by the net to see who would serve.

"To see if what Dr. Takahasi said was right. He said that there was another tennis player that he had performed a surgery on that had Guillain-Barré," as he finished I stood stalk still half way to the net not able to believe what I had just heard. 'People I didn't know very well…now knew I was sick. With a disease that could kill me. Greeeeat,' I thought with annoyance. "Oshitari-san? Are you okay?" I heard the captain ask.

"Eh? I'm fine," still surprised. 'Wait,' I thought. 'How did he know Dr. Takahasi?' "How do you know Dr. Takahasi?" I asked turning to face him though I was still a ways from the net. His teammates where sitting on the bleachers talking amongst themselves, though I could tell they were still paying attention to us.

Before he answered I saw him smile. "He's my surgeon too. He mentioned a girl that had come from Spain to be treated for Guillain-Barré yesterday when I went for my check-up."

"Check…up?" I squeaked. Fate had an odd sense of humor. "Then you…" I couldn't finish my sentence. There was someone else that was just like me. Of course I already knew that, but meeting the person was a whole different story.

"Yep, now shall we play?" Yukimura-san asked.

"Definitely," I said smiling and getting into position.

"Here we go," he said before throwing the ball up and hitting it.

~^^~Fuji's POV~^^~

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Oishi asked yet again.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," replied Eiji smiling at his doubles partner.

"Maybe we should go after her just in case…"

"See who Oishi-senpai?" asked Momoshiro who had come over to see what there vice-captain was worrying about now.

"Ruri-san…I'm worried about her," replied Oishi.

"Hmm? If you're so worried about her, why don't you go see if she's okay," I suggested to them.

"Ah! Fujiko, that's a great idea! C'mon Oishi, let's go," shouted Eiji.

"Ah, Eiji-senpai! I'm coming with you. They might have gone to the street tennis courts we were at yesterday," Momoshiro said.

"Street tennis courts?" Oishi nearly shrieked. 'Hmm , perhaps I'll tag along…'

~^^~3rd POV~^^~

"We're almost there Oishi-senpai!" he heard Momoshiro shout. In the end all of the regulars had ended up going to check on the girl that they had taken a liking to in the little time they had known her.

"Right."

"Isn't that the sound of a tennis ball?" said Echizen, cocking his head to the side. They were at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the tennis courts now.

"Eh? C'mon Ochibi!" shouted Eiji.

~^^~Ruri's POV~^^~

We had been hitting the ball back and forth for about half an hour now and there were more people there know besides the Rikkaidai regulars. And all of them were watching our 'match'. It was really just us hitting the tennis ball back and forth to gouge each other's strength, but it seemed to memorize everyone that had come to the street tennis courts. Throughout the time we had been playing sometimes we would ask each other a question get an answer then go back into silence…at least until a shout came from the bottom of the stairs that led to the tennis courts.

"Eh? C'mon Ochibi!"

"Hmm? Isn't that Eiji?" I asked myself out loud.

"It seems your friends were worried about you," replied Yukimura.

"Hmm…it was probably Oishi-san that was worried and Fuji-san probably said something to make him want to come check on me and then the whole team probably came to," I told him hitting the tennis ball back to his side of the court.

"You know your friends well for just being in school for little more than a week," said Yukimura hitting the tennis ball to my side of the court again.

"Well, I have watched them interact at their tennis practice for a little more than a week now."

"Ruri! Eh? You're playing a match!" I suddenly heard Eiji shout. Everyone there turned to look at the new arrivals except for Yukimura and I.

"Yes," I replied glancing at my friends before returning the ball back to Yukimura.

"We should stop don't you think," said Yukimura. "It's getting late." I knew he was lying, but whatever.

"Your right," I replied as I raised my racket up as the ball came flying towards me. I hit it so that it would bounce directly up and caught it. "Here," I said throwing the ball to Yukimura.

"Thank you," he replied catching the ball and walking towards his bag. When he got there I saw him take out a piece of paper and a pencil. After he finished whatever he was writing he walked over to me and handed me the piece of paper. "For whenever you want to play again," he told me smiling before going to gather his things.

"Ruri-chan!" shouted Eiji right before I felt a weight slam into my back.

"Uh, Eiji-san careful please," I said stumbling forward a bit.

"Ah, gomen, gomen," he replied smiling.

"It's fine. Oh, and thanks for worrying about me Oishi-san. I'll see you guys later," I said waving before leaving the tennis courts to go home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

The next morning I woke up to gray clouds and Yushi trying to get me out of bed so that I wouldn't be late. You see, when I'm tried I have a tendency to sleep like a rock.

"Hurry up Ruri or you're gonna be late!" I heard my cousin say before he closed my door.

"I'm up!" I called swinging my legs out of bed and going to my closet to get my uniform.

"There's food on the table, I'll see you tonight," called Yushi before I heard the front door close. I looked over at the clock while pulling my skirt on only to nearly fall when I saw what time it was. It was nearly 8. I would have to run to school if I wanted to make it on time.

"Crap! Why did I have to forget about my homework!" I yelled at no one, rushing down the stairs with my bag thrown over my shoulder, skidding to a halt in front of the kitchen table, and grabbed two chocolate chip muffins that were sitting on a plate and heading for the door.

I barely made it into the class room before the bell rang, which made everyone in the room look over at me standing there breathing somewhat heavily than normal.

"Ruri-chan! You're here!" shouted Eiji jumping up from his seat across the room, as I entered the class room heading towards him and Fuji.

"Morning Eiji, Fuji-san," I said as I sat down right as the door opened and the teacher appeared.

"Okay class sit down and take out…"

* * *

"Ruri-chan are you going to sit with us?" asked Eiji as we left the class room. I had a feeling that my friends would want an explanation about the day before.

"Sure," as soon as I had replied Eiji broke into a huge grin before grabbing my arm and Fuji's (again) and dragging us to the cafeteria.

"Fuji-san, does he always drag people when he's excited?" I asked just as we entered the cafeteria.

"Ruri-san! You're okay," Oishi-san exclaimed when he saw Eiji drag Fuji and I into the cafeteria.

"Um…Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, confused as Eiji, Fuji and, I sat down at the table.

"Eh? Because you left right after we got there?" said Oishi, who now looked confused.

"_I watched the proverbial sunrise…Coming up over the Pacific and…You might think I'm losing my mind…But I will shy away from the specifics..."_

"Hello?" I asked answering my phone while looking at my friends. 'Huh, it seemed some of them understood the lyrics.'

"_Oh, I'm glad I caught you Ruri! Your father and I are coming to Japan in a couple of weeks for a concert and we were wondering if you could be our accompaniment?"_

"_Mom? You and dad are coming to Japan_?" I asked slightly shocked. I had thought they would still be in America for that small concert series.

"_Yes, now can you_?" asked my mother persistent as ever.

"_I should be able to. Now can I go? It's lunch_."

_"Oh, that great! We'll see you in a couple weeks! Adios!"_ said my mother before the line went dead. '[She…hasn't changed at all,' I thought looking at my phone. Then it started ringing again.

"_Hello_?" I asked confused now.

_"I forgot to ask you if you could ask Yushi if he could perform with us too!"_

_"Mom?"_

_"Please? Can you ask him?_" my mom begged.

"…"I didn't know what to say. Because unlike me, my cousin was actually playing on a tennis team. "_I'll ask him_," I said finally.

"_Gracias Ruri! Call me when you get his answer please, okay? Bye!"_ said my mother for a second time before the line went dead. I just stared at my phone again.

"Um…Ruri-chan? What was that all about?" Eiji asked. That's when I noticed everyone at the table, except for Tezuka and Inui where looking at me.

"Huh? Oh, sorry it was just my mom wondering how I was doing," I replied waving my hand around like it was nothing.

"Oh. Ruri-chan what's your mom like?" Eiji asked.

"Let's see…She kind, eccentric, an awesome musician, and she always thinks about her family and friends first."

"Sugoi, your mom sounds awesome!" exclaimed Eiji.

"Would you like to meet her?" I asked, a smug smile on my face, though it was barely noticeably.

"Eh? Can we really?" Eiji asked pure excitement on his face.

"Eiji-senpai, don't drag us into it," said Echizen.

"Aw! But don't you want to meet Ruri-chan's parents Ochibi?" asked Eiji looking disappointed.

"I don't mind if everyone meets them, but they won't be in town for a couple of weeks."

"Really? Yay!" cheered Eiji just as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

~^^~Fuji's POV~^^~

"…wondering if Oshitari Ruri could play on the tennis team. What do you think Tezuka?" I heard Ryuzaki-sensei ask. 'Hmm? What was this?'

"I admit she is good if she can beat Kikumaru and hold her own against Yukimura, but are girls allowed to play on the boys' team?" Tezuka inquired.

"I don't think there is a rule against it, but till now there hasn't been a girl good enough to play on a boy's tennis team in Japan," replied Ryuzaki-sensei. For a while they were silent, then:

"I'll ask her about it tomorrow," said Tezuka.

"Why don't you just call her?" I asked walking up to them from where I had been listening to their conversation.

"Fuji," stated Tezuka.

"Ah, that's a good idea Fuji. But does anyone have her number?" Ryuzaki sensei asked.

"I'm sure Eiji does," I replied looking over to where the acrobat was talking to Oishi.

"Kikumaru come here for a minute," shouted Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Nani, nani?" asked Eiji bounding up.

"Do you have Oshitari Ruri's number?" she asked.

"I do, why?" asked Eiji cocking his head to the side.

"I'd like to ask her something," replied Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Eh?"

~^^~Ruri's POV~^^~

For all I know my teachers hated me with all the homework they assigned. I was currently staring at my math homework. There was way too much of it if you asked me. That was when my phone decided to save me.

"Hello?" I answered turning away from my homework in favor of talking on the phone.

"Oshitari Ruri?" the person on the other line asked. The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Hai?"

"I'm Ryuzaki Sumire. I'm the tennis coach at Seigaku," the speaker said.

"Oh, is there something you need?" I asked idly petting Nikki who had jumped up on my lap.

"Yes, I was wondering if you would like to join the tennis team," asked Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Eh? How did you know I played tennis?" I asked slightly confused.

"I overheard Kikumaru talking about it the other day," she replied sounding amused.

"Oh. Well I don't see why I couldn't."

"Okay. Practice starts at 6. Make sure to be there. Oh and you'll be playing on the boys' team. Good luck," was the last thing I heard before the line went dead.

"Eh?" I yelled in surprise looking at my phone. 'I was going to play tennis…on the boys' team?'

A/N: The lyrics for the ring tone are from the song "Who I am Hates Who I've Been" by Relient K. And I don't own them


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Let me tell you, 6 o'clock in the morning was too early for any time of practices.

"Ugh…" 'Why did I have to get up at 5 in the morning when school starts at 8:15?' I asked myself. 'Oh, right it's because I had agreed to be on my schools tennis team,' I thought with bitter sarcasm.

"What are you doing up this early Ruri?" asked Yushi when I entered the kitchen after getting dressed and putting my school things into my tennis bag. I hadn't told him the night before that I had been deceived, er talked to by the tennis coach from Seigaku.

"I have practice at 6," I replied going to see if there was any coffee.

"Practice?" questioned Yushi looking up from his breakfast.

"Yeah, joined my schools tennis team," I replied having found the coffee and going in search of a cup.

"The boys or the girls' team?"

"Boys," I replied starting to make a cup of coffee.

"Do your parents know?"

"No and my mom was wondering if you would play with them when they come to town in a couple of weeks," I said grabbing the cup of coffee and going to the table where my cousin sat eating.

"I should be able to and you should tell your parents."

"I will don't worry," I replied before going back to the kitchen to clean my plate and cup.

"You have my number if anything happens," said my cousin as we left to go to our separate practices.

* * *

"Huh? Ruri-chan, what are you doing here?" Eiji asked when he saw me walking towards the tennis courts at nearly 6 in the morning, the rest of the regulars that were with him looked confused as well, except for Tezuka and Fuji.

I just mumbled something about a stupid coach tricking people before yawning.

"Ah, you're here," I heard Ryuzaki-sensei exclaim from behind me.

"Morning sensei," I mumbled before yawning again.

"Right you go change and the rest of you guys get ready to warm up," shouted Ryuzaki-sensei so that everyone on the courts could hear.

"Hai," was the last thing I heard before the door closed behind me. This was going to be a long day I thought.

* * *

"Ruri-chan! What kind of team were you on? Are the rest of the people on your team as good as you? Have you ever played in the Nationals?" Eiji fired question after question at me not giving me a chance to answer.

"Eiji I think you should slow down," commented Fuji, to my relief.

"Thank you Fuji," I whispered, so that Eiji wouldn't hear. Fuji just chuckled in response.

"I do have to wonder though," started Fuji. "How come you're so good at tennis?"

It was my turn to chuckle. "Ask Keigo if you want to now," I told him before going ahead of them to the classroom since what I had said had shocked them.

"Ah, wait Ruri-chan! What do you mean?" called Eiji as he and Fuji caught up to me.

"I mean just what I said," I replied looking over at them.

* * *

Way too soon if you ask me school was over and I had to go to tennis practice. Again.

"Ruri-chan! I want a rematch," whined Eiji after we found out that we could have practice matches after warming up.

"Hmm? Okay," I answered grabbing my racket and following Eiji to an open court.

"If I win will you answer my questions?" asked Eiji while bouncing a tennis ball, getting ready to serve.

"If you can win…I'll answer any question you have," I replied smiling.

"Wait, Oshitari. I want you to play Fuji," interjected Ryuzaki coming up to us with the rest of the regulars in tow.

"Huh?" was my smart response.

"I want to see how good you are, I've only heard about your skill from others," Ryuzaki clarified.

"Oh. Okay," I replied following Fuji towards an open court.

* * *

Everyone by the tennis courts was whispering. It was annoying, but you're probably wondering why everyone is whispering. So let me back up.

When Fuji and I had started the game, everything was normal. Until the third game when Fuji used one of his triple counters, the Higuma Otoshi to return a smash I hit. He missed. Then any time after that, his Higuma Otoshi would always be out. No one knew why, except me since I had seen all of the tennis regulars practice, often using their signature move(s). I could counter each and every one of them after watching them hit them again and again, all afternoon. This coupled with the fact that I won 6-4 didn't help. That and Fuji was standing on the court looking at his feet. He was probably trying to figure out how he lost. Hell, they probably all were, while I was standing there not knowing what to do.

"Uh…" was all I could get out when I tried to break the silence that had settled over the courts.

"SUGOI! That was totally awesome Ruri-chan!" screamed Eiji, startling everyone on the tennis courts.

"Gah! Eiji!" He had come up behind me before he decided to yell, almost right in my ear. "Please don't yell…"

"Ah! Gomen Ruri-chan, but that was totally awesome! I've never seen Fujiko get beaten in tennis before nya~!" he replied bouncing up and down now and looking extremely amazed.

"Really?" I asked slightly surprised.

Eiji shock his head vigorously up and down in an affirmative.

"Oshitari, come with me a moment if you would," Ryuzaki suddenly spoke up out of nowhere; she had disappeared about half way through the match.

"Huh? Uh…Sure?" I half asked half answered. She then turned and gestured for me to follow. I did until she stopped. We were just out of hearing range of the tennis team. "Is something wrong?" I asked confused as to why she would need to talk to me.

"I just finished talking to the principal and we came upon a slight problem. It seem that girls are not allowed to play on the boys tennis team, I had over looked it because of what Eiji had said about your skills but the principal called the tennis association and they said that girls aren't allowed to play with the boys in tennis," Ryuzaki-sensei turned around as she finished talking.

"So…let me get this right, girls, can't play on the boys team?" I asked, wanting to make sure of this before I said anything else.

"Yes," replied Ryuzaki getting a slight crease in her forehead while she looked at me.

Girls can't play with the boys in tennis. Okay. Boys could play tennis with other boys, right? "Ryuzaki-sensei? What if…I 'wasn't' a girl?" I asked using hand quotations marks, hoping she would get my meaning. She did, because she got a glint in her eye and a smirk come onto her face as she replied:

"If you weren't a 'girl' then you would be free to play on the boy's tennis team," replied Ryuzaki-sensei. "Now, let's go see the principle, see if he has any ideas."

"Hai," I replied, a smirk on my face.

"Here's your uniform you can change in the room over there," said the principal after we had explained our plan to him. He had been more than willing to go along with it, he had seen the second half of the match Fuji and I had had.

"Okay," I replied heading towards the door. I had called Yushi to tell him what was happening after we had talked to the principal and hammered out all the details. He had been fine with it. He had sounded quite amused before he hung up actually. I would now go by Oshitari Haru when I was at school or anytime I was in my school or tennis uniform. I would get my tennis uniform the following week, days before the first tennis tournament for the junior high circuit.

"How do I look?" I asked coming out of the room from changing. The uniform was a bit big in places, but otherwise if fit fine.

"Hmm, you look like Yukimura and Fuji. A bit feminine, but people shouldn't be able to tell," said Ryuzaki-sensei, looking me over.

"What should I tell my classmates?" I asked suddenly, wondering what I was going to tell them.

"I'll send an e-mail to all the teachers to explain the situation if their students become curious," answered the principal.

"Hmm, okay. Can I go now?" I asked, suddenly tired form everything that had happened in the past few days.

"Of course," said Ryuzaki-sensei and the principal at once.

"If you'll excuse me," I said as I left the principal's office and headed for the school gate, lost in thought. I didn't realize that the regulars from the tennis team were standing by the school gate until I felt 8 sets of eyes staring at me.

"Is something up?" I asked temporarily forgetting that I was in a boy's uniform and looked almost exactly like a boy. I just got more silence.

"Um…Ruri-chan? Why are you wearing a boy's uniform?" Eiji finally asked looking very confused.

"Huh? Oh, haha. Well you see, since girls aren't allowed to play on the boys' team…" I trailed off, feeling slightly dizzy. Eiji saw it.

"Ruri! Are you okay?" he asked concern flooding his face.

"Huh? Ya I'm fine," I replied, confused. The dizziness had left as soon as it had come. Unfortunately, everyone else saw it too.

"Is something wrong?" asked Oishi, like the mother hen he was to the tennis regulars.

"No," I replied, half lost in thought until Eiji spoke up:

"I think you should tell them Ruri," he said quietly, very calm and serious.

"Tell us what Eiji?" asked Oishi now confused, like the rest of the tennis regulars. They were looking back and forth between Eiji and I, except for Inui, he was scribbling in his notebook.

"Senpai?" asked Momoshiro looking confused and a bit curious.

"Do I have to?" I asked Eiji looking at him, knowing that I would tell them anyways.

"I think it would be best…encase anything happened," he replied looking me in the eyes.

I didn't speak at first. I was trying to find the best way to phrase it. "You guys now I came here from Spain right?" I asked.

They all nodded an affirmative.

"Well…I came here 6 months ago for a surgery because I was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré," I said looking away.

"6 months?" asked Momoshiro.

"Guillain…Barré?" questioned Echizen.

"That's what the captain of Rikkaidai had!" exclaimed Oishi, shock written all over his face.

"Has," I corrected him. "Once you get it you have it for life, even though the symptoms don't appear, they is always a chance that they might."

"Is that why Rikkaidai was here the other day?" Tezuka bucho asked.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow," I said walking past them. They let me.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

"_I watched the proverbial sunrise…Coming up over the Pacific and…You might think I'm losing my mind…But I will shy away from the specifics..."_

"Moshi, moshi?"

"Ruri-san? Where are you?" Oishi asked.

"Huh? At home…why?" I replied stifling a yawn.

"Uh…the tennis tournament's start today…"

"EH? Why didn't you say so! I'll be there soon!" I yelled before I hung up and went flying around my room to make it on time. Apparently staying up late on the phone talking to your friends on the other side of the world was NOT a good idea the night before a tennis tournament.

"Crap…" I groaned. I wasn't sure if I would make it in time (the tennis matches would be held were a good 15 minutes away. Ugh). I had now pulled on my tennis jersey and was racing down the stairs in white tennis shorts, tennis bag over my shoulder and my jacket unzipped to pull my shoes on. I'd have to hope that I could find something to eat once I got there. As I raced out the door I made sure to grab my beanie and pull it over my head.

"You don't think she'll be late, do you?" asked Oishi to no one in particular.

"Don't worry nya~! She'll make it," said Eiji, trying to reassure his doubles partner.

"Do you really doubt my ability, Oishi fuku-bucho?" I questioned coming up behind them, a smirk on my face.

"R-ruri, you're here," Oishi stuttered, relief filling his eyes.

"Told ya I'd come, didn' I?"

"Oi, if you guys don't hurry up you'll be disqualified," interrupted Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Hai," we chorused, heading to the registration booth.

"You knew that we had matches today, so why were you late Ruri-chan?" asked Eiji curiously.

"I stayed up a bit too late," I replied sheepishly. "Oh, and Eiji? It's Haru, remember?"

"Oh yeah! Hehe, I forgot Haru-chan."

"Eiji…" I grumbled. Looks like Seigaku would be getting funny looks now. Well at least Eiji and I. He just giggled in response.

"Seigaku's ten regulars," stated Tezuka to the person behind the table at the registration booth.

"Ten?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Hai," Tezuka replied, glancing back at me as he did so. That's when the guy saw me. He nodded to Tezuka and we left only to hear the teams around us whispering.

"Fuji, why are they whispering?" I asked, he was the closes person to me.

"It's unusual to have ten people on a team," Inui answered coming up on the other side of me.

"They probably think you're a manager," said Fuji, glancing around only to have those who's his gaze fell upon to run away in fear.

"A…manager?" I asked disbelief in my voice. "They wish…" I mumbled under my breath, but Fuji caught it and chuckled at my skulking. "Oh yeah. Bucho, can I go get something to eat? I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast."

"Yes," he replied, glancing back. "Be back in 15 minutes."

"Hai," I replied heading off to find some place that had food. As it turning out there was a small café by the tennis courts. I got a bagel and water before I headed back to where Seigaku had been before I left.

"Oh, you're back Haru-chan! Bucho was just about to announce the lineup," exclaimed Eiji when he spotted me walking towards them, a bagel in my mouth.

"Ofay," I replied chewing on my breakfast.

"Doubles 2: Fuji and Kawamura, Doubles 1: Kikumaru and Oishi, Singles 3: Momoshiro, Singles 2: Inui, and Singles 1: Oshitari," announced Tezuka.

"Eh? I'm playing?" I asked more to myself than anyone. I didn't think I would be playing since I was the newest person on the team. "Aw, but I probably won't get to play, ne?"

"What makes you say that?" I heard Fuji ask, he was smiling when I turned to face him.

"Because everyone on this team is strong," I replied smiling, while my eyes narrowed just a bit. The temperature dropped a few degrees.

"Oh? Everyone?" he replied, eyes cracking open.

"Only the regulars," I replied, my eyes closing and my smile becoming just plain creepy, identical to Fuji's.

"The first match between Seishun Gakuen and…"

"Okay, lets' go Fujiko, Haru-chan!" shouted Eiji grabbing Fuji and I and tugging us towards the court where the other team was already gathered.

"Eh?"

"Hey, look, do you think that's their manager?" one of the tennis players by the courts asked his friend.

"Probably. Look at his build. It's too small to be able to play any real tennis," his friend replied, pointing it out.

"Eiji…" I growled out, "Are all tennis players in Japan like them?"

"Eh? Oh, well this is the first time we've had so many players so they probably just think you're a manager because you don't look like other tennis players nya~!" Eiji replied hoping his friend wouldn't harm the pair that they had overheard talking. He had figured out that all though she was a girl, Ruri was quite similar to Fuji. He shuddered at the thought and silently wished that the two who had been talking about Ruri wouldn't say any more.

"Oh," I replied, cocking my head to the side, "I'm glad I came to Japan."

"Why?" asked Eiji honestly curious.

"So I can show people like them, that anyone can play tennis."

"hehe…" He seriously feared for any of Ruri's opponents in the future.

"Kikumaru, Oshitari," Tezuka called. The matches were about to start and the two weren't paying attention.

"Eh? Ah, hai," I replied, turning to face the court were Fuji and Kawamura were currently standing.

"Hai~!" Eiji sung as he bounced over to his doubles partner.

"EHHHH! Fuji-senpai!" shouted a girl that was outside the fence with two other freshmen…that were on the tennis team. There was also another freshman girl with her but she looked embarrassed at her friend's antics. Now, if I remembered correctly she was Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter. "Ne, Inui-san. Who're they?" I asked wondering how freshmen could be so noisy.

"Hmm?" he said before he looked up from his notebook to glance in the direction I had been looking in before he answered. "Osakada Tomoka, Ryuzaki Sakuno, Kato Kachiro, and Horio Satoshi are Echizen-kun's friends. Though, they can be a bit…loud, at times," he explained while pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Huh…" I felt sorry for Echizen. He had to deal with two very noisy people on a regular basis. "Do they always come to the tournaments?" I asked Inui, gesturing to the girl who had yelled out 'Fuji-senpai' and then the one who was currently spewing something about two years of tennis experience.

"Kato Kachiro and Horio Satoshi always come, since they are on the tennis team and Osakada Tomoka and Ryuzaki Sakuno are here quite a lot," he answered not looking up from his notebook which he was writing in.

"Oh." My brows wrinkled in annoyance. 'I hope I'm not gonna be deaf by the end of the season,' I thought grimacing.

"1-0," the referee suddenly called bringing my attention back the tennis match currently being played. I looked up at the scoreboard and my eyes got slightly bigger in surprise. The game had been won in a matter of minutes.

"You shouldn't be so surprised. You did play against Fuji before," said Inui, amusement clear in his voice.

"S'not that, I didn't think he could play doubles," I replied, recovering from shock soon enough to see that it was Seigaku's serve and that Fuji was up. From that point on it was clear who would win. The next match was the same, Eiji and Oishi fuku-bucho won 6-3. Then Momoshiro played in singles 3. The first part of his game he was distracted, his opponent had said something to him when they were deciding who would serve first and it took a comment from Kaido when he was switching sides to get him back up to his normal level of playing. Though it didn't come soon enough. He lost 5-7. Then Inui played, he won 6-2. I didn't get a chance to play.

"Ne, ne Ruri-chan what did you think?" asked Eiji. I glanced behind me to see he was walking with Fuji and Oishi fuku-bucho.

"It was interesting," I replied smiling. We were on our way back to school, according to Momoshiro, that's what they always did.

"Hey, you're the new Seigaku regular, right?" someone asked. I looked over to the side, were the voice had come from.

"Dad!" I squeaked in surprise. I was so dead.

A/N: For those of you who didn't notice…I'm not fond of Tomoka. I may poke a little fun at her if I get the chance and for those who like her, sorry.

Kind of.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

"Let me get this straight. You played tennis before you were allowed to but before you could your doctor called giving the okay, you played again the next day with one of the strongest tennis player in the junior high circuit in Japan and you friends found out you were sick," he then became quiet for a long time. "You better hope your mother doesn't find out," he finally said a smile breaking out on his face.

"Thanks dad!" I said hugging him before backing away. "Is there anything else you want to know?" I asked.

"You haven't introduced your teammates yet," he said smiling and gesturing to where they sat, just out of earshot.

"Oh, okay. C'mon," I said tugging him towards my friends and teammates. "Okay, that's Tezuka Kunimitsu. He's the captain," I said pointing him out before gesturing to the rest of the team. "That's Oishi Shuichiro, he's vice-captain. That's Fuji Shusuke and next to him is Kikumaru Eiji and then Kawawmura Takeshi. Then there's Inui Sadaharu, Kaido Kaoru, Momoshiro Takeshi and Echizen Ryoma," as I finished my father got a stern look in his eyes, I knew what was coming next. "Dad, I don't think it's necessary to-"

Before I was finished my dad cut me off. "Now listen here, okay? Do NOT lay a single finger on my daughter. Am I clear?"

"Dad…" I groaned, hitting my forehead with my hand as my teammates gave my dad an affirmative.

"Ruri~chan!" came a shout suddenly from the other side of the park. It sounded oddly familiar and I didn't know why…wait. 'Crap….' I thought turning around in time to see a red and silver blur come flying towards me. "What are you doing here?" asked the silver blur that had dissolved into Niou Masaharu, leaning onto what the red blur had dissolved into, Marui Bunta. And can you guess who was behind them? Yep, it was the rest of the Rikkaidai Tennis regulars. I groaned, 'could this day get any worse?'

"Uh...Hey," I replied since my friends and dad were still recovering from the sudden appearance of two more teenage boys (to my dad) and two excellent tennis players to my friends.

"Who's he?" Marui suddenly asked blowing a bubble with his gum as his teammates reached us.

"My dad…" I replied knowing I would soon be going to hell.

"Ruri…" started my dad (in Spanish), "_Who are those boys_?"

"Haha…_They're tennis regulars from Rikkaidai, Seigaku's rival school. Their captains the one I played against,_" I replied hoping I wouldn't be grounded for life.

"_Oh, is that so_?" he asked now eyeing the boys with suspicion.

"Hai," I replied instinctively replying in Japanese, causing the two teams to suddenly look at me since I had switched back to their native language and the Rikkaidai regulars all had curiosity and surprise on their faces since they hadn't known I spoke another language let alone that I was from a different country.

"I'm Niou Masaharu. It's nice to meet you," Niou suddenly exclaimed holding his hand out towards my dad. And then as if realizing that my dad had been speaking another language he repeated himself much slower, " Ni-ou Ma-sa-ha-ru. Its – nice – to –meet – you."

The whole time I just watched with amusement as my dad's eyebrows were rising with each word that came out of his mouth.

"Huh, at least you remember your manners, " my dad replied as he took his hand, "but Japanese is my native language so…" my dad finished off with a shrug as surprise coated Niou's face, as well as his teammates. That when I burst out laughing, surprising everyone, since I had hardly smiled when I was around them.

"I'm…sorry," I managed to get out between burst of laughter. "I forgot…ha that you guys…didn't know…haha I was from…Spain." When I finished I had somewhat regained the ability to talk, though I was still laughing every few seconds.

"You're from Spain?" Yukimura suddenly asked, causing me to whip my head around. He hadn't said a word since he and his teammates had appeared.

"Ah," I replied cocking my head to the side and my brows furrowing in slight confusion. When I had first met him he hadn't seemed to be the talkative person or the one that would ask something out of curiosity. 'Huh…Maybe I was wrong,' I thought. You see when I meet someone I automatically start observing (a habit I picked up from one of my friends back in Spain) them and am able to tell when something is wrong or if they're lying if I've known them long enough, but…I barely knew him and yet the question seemed…odd for him.

"-ri, earth to Ruri-chan," a voice interrupted my musings. That's when I noticed the waving hand in front of my face and that everyone was staring at me, including my dad who had an amused look on his face.

"What Eiji?" I asked realizing I had ignored my friends in my musings over Yukimura, turning my head to where he was standing.

"What were you thinking about nya?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," I replied, glancing at my dad knowing he would see through the lie. He had a look of amusement and a look like he was up to something, a look I had only seen on him in home videos from when he was my age.

"Oh, really?" a familiar voice suddenly asked.

"Really," I replied a smirk coming on to my face as I turned to face Fuji. It looked like our game that had been interrupted earlier was starting again.

"It seemed to me though, that you were thinking something about a certain blue-haired captain," Fuji replied, his eyes now cracking open to reveal shining sky blue eyes, completely ignoring the person mentioned.

"Did it?" I parried. "I was only wondering what would happen if someone was suddenly hospitalized for severe psychological trauma."

"Really? It didn't seem like that to me."

"Oh? What did it –"

"Ruri," my dad said suddenly. "_Don't mess with people's heads_." He said the last part in Spanish so they wouldn't understand.

"Eh? Hai…" I replied, my face falling and a pout forming on my lips. "_It's fun though_…" I muttered under my breath.

"Ruri," repeated my dad, a warning tone in his voice.

"Fine," I replied, turning towards my friends.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

"Ruri~! What did your dad say?" Niou asked, innocence in his eyes.

"Nothing," I said, waving my hand in front of my face as if it would change the subject automatically.

"Oh, I forgot to mention this but your mother is here to," my father piped in totally throwing me off.

"Eh? She is?" I asked completely stunned, just staring at my dad.

"Yes. The concerts next week, remember?"

'Concert? What concert? Oh! That concert,' I thought remembering my conversation with my mother a few weeks ago…

~^^~Flashback~^^~

"I watched the proverbial sunrise…Coming up over the Pacific and…You might think I'm losing my mind…But I will shy away from the specifics..."

"Hello?" I asked answering my phone while looking at my friends. Huh, it seemed some of them understood the lyrics.

"Oh, I'm glad I caught you Ruri! Your father and I are coming to Japan in a couple of weeks for a concert and we were wondering if you could be our accompaniment?"

"Mom? You and dad are coming to Japan?" I asked slightly shocked. I had thought they would still be in America for that small concert series.

"Yes, now can you?" asked my mother persistent as ever.

"I should be able to. Now can I go? It's lunch."

"Oh, that great! We'll see you in a couple weeks! Adios!" said my mother before the line went dead. She…hasn't changed at all, I thought looking at my phone. Then it started ringing again.

"Hello?" I asked confused now.

"I forgot to ask you if you could ask Yushi if he could perform with us too!"

"Mom?"

"Please? Can you ask him?" my mom begged.

"…"I didn't know what to say. Because unlike me, my cousin was actually playing on a tennis team. "I'll ask him," I said finally.

"Gracias Ruri! Call me when you get his answer please, okay? Bye!" said my mother for a second time before the line went dead. I just stared at my phone again.

* * *

"I remember," I replied hoping with all my might that my friends and teammates would not ask about it.

"What concert?" Marui asked, bubblegum popping to emphasize his question.

"There is a 90% chance that it is the concert that will be held on Friday at a small theater," said Inui looking up from his notebook (for once).

"Mm, that's quite right," said my dad further er…surprising me? I don't know but it was weird.

A/N: um…I didn't know what to put for the concert name…hehe…*rubs back of head with hand* I hope you liked the chapter anyway. Oh and I put a poll up. Check it out if you have time. Oh! And I want to thank everyone who has reviewed! They make me really happy! ^^ And sorry it's so short, I don't know what I should put next….

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis or Phantom of the Opera.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

"You sure this is the place?"

"Yes," stated Jackal for probably the millionth time that day.

"But it's so…huge," said Akaya who was staring up at the theater. It was at least three stories tall and made completely of stone, the front for the theater had three stone pillars that went up all three stories. "He said it was a small theater!"

"Yes well, in some ways it could be considered small," said Yanagi, looking pointedly at Akaya and Niou.

"S-small?" squeaked Akaya. "This place is considered small?"

"You guys can come in you know," I laughed coming up behind them, having overheard Akaya's outburst. "The shows gonna start soon."

"Ruri!"

"You're…"

"That's a…dress."

"Why yes it is, thank you for informing me of that Niou," I stated (note the sarcasm). "I have to wear one when I play…" I muttered quietly hoping that they would let off the questions for today.

"Mm? Play what?" asked Akaya tilting his head to the side it what appeared to be curiosity. 'There goes my hoping,' I thought.

"Heh, you won't know unless you see the show, now will you?" I said smirking before turning and walking back towards the entrance and waving, "See you later!" I shouted over my shoulder.

"We should probably go in now, ne?" chimed in Yukimura who the rest of the team had forgotten was standing behind them.

"Gah!"

"Bucho!"

"…Don't scare us like that please…"

"But he's right, we should head in if we don't want to miss the show" said Sanada.

"Hai!" they chorused.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to enjoy the orchestra from the Phantom of the Opera," said the conductor, bowing as the curtains pulled back to reveal a stage with a piano of the left and chairs in a semi-circle. Just as the curtains finished pulling back the musicians started walking out with their instruments, except one, me. I was heading towards the piano. It was one of only a few times that a piano had been added to the Phantom of the Opera's Orchestra when they had visited Japan. Yushi was walking in next to my father, towards the violin section; my mother was coming in from the same side as me and heading towards the flute section.

"Oshitari?"

"What's he doing here?"

"I didn't know he played the violin."

"Of course you wouldn't know, only his family and teammates know about it," came a pompous voice from behind the two tennis team regulars.

"Hyotei!" the two teams chorused together, except for Yukimura, Tezuka, Fuji, and Sanada.

"Shh!" whispered someone who was sitting by the tennis players.

"Sorry!"

* * *

"So, what did you guys think?" I asked when the concert had ended and I had been able to leave.

"SUGOI!" exclaimed Eiji.

"Kikumaru," said Tezuka looking sternly at the acrobatic specialist.

"Wah~ Oishi!"

"Kikumaru-san's right though. It was amazing," commented Yukimura.

"Why thank you," said Yushi coming up behind me.

"Mm, what he said," I added, yawning.

"_Now, now. That's not how I raised you Ruri_," came a voice from behind us, though this time it was female and completely unknown to the three schools there.

"_Oh, hi mom_."

"_It's a pleasure to see you again Auntie_" said Yushi nodding his head in my mother's direction.

"_Hmmpf how many times do I have to tell you to call me Eli_?" my mother asked.

"Mom _please stop pestering him, you know he's gonna call you Auntie whether you like it or not_," I said to my mother. This happened every time my Mom and Yushi talked to each other.

"_But it makes me feel old_," replied my mother pouting. This caused me to snort, trying to hold in my laughter. This excuse was new. And then the look on my cousins face, ha priceless. This did make me start laughing. My cousin just sighed as the rest of the tennis players looking on in confusion.

"Senpai, is that your mom?" asked Momoshiro, allowing me to sober up from my laughing fit.

"Yup," I replied. "Ah, she doesn't speak Japanese though."

"She doesn't speak Japanese?" asked Inui more to himself then to anyone I think, "intresting..."

"_Oh, Keigo! How have you been? I didn't know you were here. How are your parents? Do you still play tennis? Have you played Ruri yet? Who won?"_ my mom started spewing off question after question at the young heir not giving him a chance to answer and causing everyone else to look between my mother and Atobe.

"_I-I'm good. My parents are fine and I still play tennis. And no I haven't gotten a chance to play Ruri yet_," replied Atobe as best he could.

"_Oh, that's wonderful! Why don't the two of you play right now? You don't have anything planned do you?"_ said my mom getting a thoughtful look in her eye as she finished talking.

"_Mom_!"

"Ahn? Afraid you'll lose?" questioned Atobe returning to Japanese.

"..." I growled at this. "Have you ever beaten me? Even once?" I questioned glaring at him for even suggesting that he was better at tennis then I was.

This caused him to falter slightly before replying, "My house an hour," he growled out before stomping to his limo that had just arrived his teammates following behind slowly.

"Keigo...You'll regret the moment you said that for the rest of our life..." I said coldly before turning completely ignoring everyone around me and heading towards the train station.

"_Eh? Ruri? Keigo_?" questioned my mother before I was completely out of hearing.

* * *

"Haru-chan!" yelled Eiji, when he spotted me.

"Morning Eiji," I replied when I spotted the acrobat. I stopped to wait for him, the rest of the regulars nowhere in sight. "Where's everyone else?"

"Huh? Oh they said they would be here soon," he replied hurriedly before grabbing my hand and heading towards the tennis courts. "C'mon, we don't want to be late!"

"Yeah..." I replied, confused.

"Oh, Oshitari, Kikumaru where is everyone else?" asked Ryuzaki-sensei when we got to the tennis courts.

"They're coming they're coming!" said Eiji, waving to Ryuzaki-sensei before heading to the changing room. I sighed before following him. 'How could someone be so hyper this early in the morning? I mean really it was barley 6 o'clock and he was already bouncing of the walls.'

"Ne, Ruri-chan? um...H-how are you um...you know...able to...uh...change in the boys...locker room?" sputtered Eiji when I walked into the boy's tennis club changing rooms, where my stuff was. Thankfully at the time we were the only ones in there.

"Binding," was my reply as I pulled my jersey over my head.

"Binding?" Eiji questioned, pausing in tying his shoes.

"Mm."

"What's binding nya~?" he asked.

"Eiji!" said a stern voice from the doorway.

"Oh, Oishi fuku-bucho, good morning and Eiji binding is to make it look like I have a flat chest," I said before grabbing my shoes and starting to put them on.

"R-Ruri!" exclaimed Oishi (again) "That's n-not-"

"Oh, it's fine Oishi-san, he was just asking a question, it's not like it would hurt anyone," I replied having finished tying my shoes and standing to grab my racket.

"She's right Oishi" pointed out Inui as he came up behind Oishi fuku-bucho. "After all, if the rest of the team found out she may have to quit and we could be disqualified."

"Eh?Is the true? Ruri~!" shouted Eiji.

"Mmm...yeah I think that's right," I replied smirking a the look of shock on Eiji's face. "C'mon we don't want to be late to practice."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

A/N: um...Atobe Keigo might be a bit OOC in this chapter...hehe Enjoy though! And don't forget to review please!

"Oshitari-senpai?" asked Momoshiro as we sat eating our lunch in the cafeteria.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know Hyotei's tennis captain so well?" he asked. This drew the attention of the rest of the regulars.

"It's a long story..."

~ Spain 8 years ago ~

(Italics are Japanese)

"Ruri! Keiko! Come here, there's someone I want you guys to meet!" I heard our mother call. My sister and I had been playing tag. Our father said it was a good way to build stamina.

"Who is it?" my sister asks as we get close enough for her to hear us.

"Hehe, Keigo I'd like you to meet my daughters, Ruri," she said pointing to me "and Keiko. They're twins," she finished.

"It's nice to meet you!" my sister and I chorused, smiling at the young boy with silver hair and a bored expression. We received a nod, nothing more before he turned his head and stared off to the side.

"Ya, now, it's rude to ignore people," I sad scowling at him.

"Ah! I forgot! Ruri dear, he doesn't speak Spanish very well," said my mother, smiling gently at the young boy.

"_Oh, Keigo-kun do you play tennis?"_ I asked in Japanese, my dad's native language. This caught his attention for his head whipped around to face me.

"_I do_," he relied, much to my delight.

"_Oh! Do want to play_?" I asked enthusiastically, leaning forward onto my toes a smile on my face.

_"I don't have a racket..."_ I heard him mumble after a while. His head was bent down in embarrassment.

I giggled. This earned me a glare from the young heir. "_That's okay. You can borrow one of ours_."

"_I can_?"

"_Of course! But, there's one condition_," I said staring him firmly in the eye, hands on my hips like my mother did when she was serious though the seriousness of it was lost on my little frame.

"_W-what is it?"_ he asked.

"_You have to starts acting like an heir. You can't be intimidated by a girl. Okay?"_ I said hoping he would comply so that we could play tennis. My sister was still learning and it was boring to play her.

"_Eh? I'll try_," he said a new light starting to form in his eyes.

"_Yosh. Dad! Can you be ref_?" I yelled, not sure as to the where a bouts of my father.

"_You two need rackets too right_?" I heard him answer from somewhere in the house.

"_Hai!"_ I answered as I turned to Keigo before grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the single tennis court that was in our backyard. "C'mon!"

"_6-3 Ruri_" proclaimed my dad as I scored the final point.

"_H-how_?" said Keigo shock on his face.

"_Oh, that's simple. I'm just better than you_," I replied smiling at him. "_Ne, where are your parents_?"

"_They were inside the last time I saw them_," he replied voice holding steady.

"_Okay, c'mon we're going to show them that you're going to be a man now_."

"_M-mm_," he replied following me towards the house.

"_Oh and we can have some lemonade too_," I said just as we reached the sliding glass doors that lead inside.

"Oh, Ruri, Keigo how was your game?" my mother asked as we stepped inside. That's when I saw two adults that I had never meet before, but they looked like Keigo so I guessed that they were his parents.

"It was good._ Are you two Keigo's parents_?" I asked after answering my mom's question.

"_We are. I take it you're Ruri-chan_?" asked the woman.

"_Just Ruri is fine_," I replied smiling. "_What're your names_?"

"_I'm Kushina and this is my husband Keisuke_," the woman, Kushina said. (A/N: I'm not sure what Atobe's parents names are, if they aren't right please tell me so I can fix it)

* * *

"Woah, you've known Atobe since you were six?" exclaimed Momoshiro when I was done.

"Yep and every chance he gets he'll challenge me in tennis," I replied now starting to eat my lunch.

"You played him on Saturday, didn't you?" asked Inui glancing up from writing in his notebook.

"Yes, I did," I replied.

"How did that go?" Inui asked.

"Ask Yushi," I replied.

"Why should we ask him?" hissed Kaido.

"It'll be more interesting that way."

~^^~POV Yushi~^^~

"Yushi~" whined Gakuto. "Why didn't you say your cousin was so good at tennis?"

"Because Gakuto, I didn't know she was that good at tennis," I replied.

"Eh? You didn't know she played tennis that well?" questioned Gakuto.

"No, I did not," I replied mentally sighing.

"But, but how could you not! You saw her match with Atobe!"

"Shut up Gakuto and focus, we're supposed to be doing our homework, remember?"

"Yushi~"

"_So I sneak out to the garden to see you...we keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew...so close your eyes"_

"Hello?"

"Is this Oshitari Yushi?"

"Yes?"

"It's Fuji."

"Ah, Fuji, what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you can tell us about your cousins and Atobe's match on Saturday?"

"Sure. Why don't you come to my house?"

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

_Click._

"Yushi?" asked Gakuto.

"Seigaku will be here in a while," I replied glancing at Gakuto to see he had abandoned his homework in favor of looking for a movie.

"Seigaku? Why?"

"They want to hear about Ruri's match," said Yushi.

"Mm? Why didn't she just tell them? They are her friends aren't they?" asked Gakuto looking over at me.

I just looked at Gakuto silently wondering why I tolerating being around him. "She's my cousin, remember? We do things without a known reason to others."

"I forgot," replied Gakuto.

"I'm home Yushi!" a voice called from below.

"I'm upstairs," I replied wondering why she wasn't with her teammates.

"Oh, Mukahi-kun. I didn't know you were here," said Ruri when she appeared in the doorway.

"Yo Ruri-chan!" said Gakuto.

"Oh, your teammates will be here in a while," I told Ruri as she turned to go to her room across the hall. "Why didn't you tell them about the match yourself?"

"Oh. I thought it would be more interesting if you told them" she replied smiling before she went to her room.

"Teammate?" said Gakuto looking at me with a quizzical look on his face.

I sighed. "It's complicated and you should ask her if you want to know."

A/N: Cliffhanger! I'm sorry. I think it will be more interesting if I spit this into more than one chapter


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. Just Ruri and her family ^^ Oh! And the awesomeness that is Nikki. Yushi's cat.

"Ah, Fuji. Come in" I heard Yushi say after I heard him get up to answer the door when the doorbell was rung.

"What do you think they're gonna say after they hear about the match?" I asked into my phone as I started to clean my room. It was a complete mess. Sometimes things can slip your mind it you're busy...or upset. And now seemed as good a time as any to clean it.

"I'm not a mind reader Ruri," came the reply. I sighed, he chose now to be a smart-ass? Well at least he had dropped the 'ore-sama' when no one was around.

"C'mon Keigo, just a guess?"

"No."

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be a spoil sport," I replied, cradling my phone in between my head and shoulder as I picked up some clothes so I could throw them in my laundry basket.

"They'll probably hound you with questions," said Keigo. It sounded like he had had a pillow thrown at him in the middle of that.

"Who'd ya tick off now?" I asked, hoping that what he had said would not come to pass.

"Jirou. Apparently our conversation woke him up and he decided to throw a pillow at me to get me to take my conversation elsewhere," said Keigo curtly.

"Wow, that the most I've heard you say something so human in like...5 years!" I esxclaimed, hopefully pissing him off so I could hang up...I wanted to watch Yushi tell my teammates about my match with Keigo.

"...Goodbye."

_Click._

"Ah. He hung up," I said to myself as I looked at my phone. Oops maybe I should apologize later... "Ne, Yushi! Where are you?" I called after contemplating apologizing to Keigo and deciding that I would call him later to apologize.

"Living room," was the reply I got, so I headed downstairs with my laundry.

"Oh, minna. Good afternoon," I said when I spotted my teammates, feigning innocence. "What are you doing here?"

"Ruri-chan! Afternoon!" Eiji called. "We wanted to talk to your cousin."

"Oh, well then I'll just go do my laundry. Don't want to get in your way. Have fun," I replied heading down the hall, smile gracing my face.

~^^~POV Yushi~^^~

I turned back to my cousins tennis teammates after she disappeared down the hall. "So, what would you like to know?" I asked.

"What happened on Saturday?" asked the vice-captain, Oishi I believe.

"From the beginning?" I clarify. I receive nods from everyone except Tezuka so I continue. "Well..."

3 Days Ago, Atobe's Mansion

"Oi, Atobe. What's gotten into you?" Shishido demanded as soon as we arrived at his mansion.

"Nothing," he replied before stomping into the mansion. We followed behind him as he headed through the maze of his house to his backyard, where his tennis court was.

"Are you sure? Because it seems to me as though -" started Shishido but he was interrupted, we had reached the tennis court.

"Of course something is wrong with him. He's obsessed with trying to beat me," said Ruri. She was leaning against the fence that was around the tennis court.

Surprisingly Atobe didn't have an answer because he just glared at her before walking inside the fence and putting his bag down on a bench before he took his jacket off and grabbing his racket.

"Oh, are you going to play in a tux?" asked Ruri before heading onto the court herself. Unlike Atobe she was dressed to play tennis. "Please change. I don't want you using that as an excuse for when you lose."

"Fine," Atobe said much to our disbelief before he disappeared back inside his mansion.

"Did he just..." started Gakuto.

"He did..." finished Shishido.

I looked at Ruri. She was still calm like she had been when we had arrived. She was in a white tennis skirt with a dark blue tank-top. She was also standing at the net, probably waiting for Atobe to get back from changing.

"Ah, you sure took your sweet time changing didn't you?" commented Ruri, bringing me out of my thoughts. Atobe had re-appeared. He was in our schools tennis outfit.

"Which?" stated Atobe, getting right to the point.

"Smooth," said Ruri, eyes now on Atobe's racket as it spun.

"Your serve," said Atobe picking up his racket and heading towards his side of the court.

_Bounce._

_Bounce._

_Thump._

"Her serve is fast!" exclaimed Gakuto.

"A-ah," I replied, shocked. Her serve hadn't been this fast when she played that acrobat from Seigaku.

_Thump._

"You've gotten faster," said Atobe.

_Thump._

"Of course," replied Ruri before she smiled.

"15-0 Oshitari," called Otori who was acting as ref.

_Bounce._

_Bounce_.

"C'mon Keigo, can't you get serious?" taunted Ruri before she served.

_Thump._

"I-"

_Thump._

"am," said Atobe returning the ball.

This caused Ruri to laugh as she returned the ball. "Right."

"Oi, Oshitari, do you know what's with them?" asked Shishido.

"No...I don't know what's with them," I replied as Ruri won the first game and Atobe got ready to serve.

"_Ah Yushi, what's the score_?" asked a new voice. I turned around and saw my Aunt and Atobe's mother.

"_Auntie. Its 1-0 in Ruri's favor_," I told her as he and Atobe's mother approached the court.

"_Hehe, he's never gonna beat her. I'm surprised he hasn't given up yet_," Eli stated, putting a finger to her chin in apparent thought.

"_Now, now Eli. You now Keigo, he's as stubborn as his father_," said Kushina nodding to where her son was getting beat. The score now 3-0.

"_I know...It just seems so pointless...They do this every time the see each other and Keigo never wins_," replied Eli.

"_Yes but a mother can always hope, can't she_?"

"_Yes_," chuckled Eli, "_I suppose she can_."

"Did you just see that?" Shishido suddenly exclaimed drawing my attention back to where Ruri and Atobe where playing.

"Yeah...What was that?" asked Gakuto.

"SUGOI!" yelled Jirou, eye's completely glued to the match still going on.

"Hehe, she's finally starting to get serious," laughed Kushina.

"_Took her long enough too_," added Eli taking a guess as to what her friend was saying.

"Mm," agreed Kushina.

"4-1," Otori called again drawing our attention back to the court.

"_Tía, just who did Ruri play with in Spain to be this good_?" I asked just as Ruri smashed a lob Atobe had accidentally hit.

"_Have you heard of a school called 'St. Augustine_'?" Eli asked in return.

"_'St. Augustine'_?" I repeated, trying to remember if I had heard of the school. "_You mean the top tennis school in all of Europe_?" I exclaimed as I remembering reading about it in an article in a tennis magazine.

"_Yup, all girls too, though only the students, teachers, and parents of students know that,_" said Eli giggling at my small outburst.

"_All...girls_?" I asked disbelief plan in my voice.

"_Yup_," smiled Eli.

"6-1. Oshitari," Otori called signaling the end of the match.

"Woah..." said Gakuto.

"That was awesome," said Shishido as Ruri and Atobe left the court.

* * *

"She beat Atobe. The Atobe, 6-1?" yelled Kikumaru when I had finished my recount of Atobe and Ruri's match, though I left out the school part, Ruri had to tell them that if she wanted them to know.

"More data..." muttered Inui scribbling away in that notebook of his.

"Awesome…," muttered Momoshiro.

"I-I had no idea she was that good," stuttered Oishi trialing off.

"Her speed...it was amazing," said Gakuto. "I've never seen someone move as fast as she did on the court."

"Mm" I agreed as the Seigaku regulars started to talk amongst themselves about what I had told them.

~^^~POV Ruri~^^~

"Ya done Yushi?" I asked from the entry way to the living room where my friends and cousin (and my cousins friend) were sitting. I had a grin on my face when several of them jumped before turning around.

"Ruri!" exclaimed Eiji.

"Senpai!" said Momoshiro.

"You're amazing Ruri!" they exclaimed together. When they started talking to each other again, I studied Tezuka's face. I was curious now to see if he had already known about my real skill and choose not to say anything. "Ne, Bucho," I started; quiet enough to go unheard by the others.

"Yes?" he answered just a quiet thankfully, looking over to where I was still standing.

"You already knew, didn't you?" I asked, knowing I didn't need to state what I thought he already knew.

"Yes, my cousin attends St. Augustine in Spain. She mentioned you one day when we were talking," replied Tezuka. "She said that their best player had just left for Japan for a much needed surgery."

"She mentioned St. Augustine?" I asked surprised, I didn't think he would now that much.

"Yes," he replied, a smile tugging at his lips as if in amusement.

"What's St. Augustine's?" asked Fuji, his face the picture perfect of innocence.

"My old school," I replied, hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions or go on the Internet and look it up.

"Oh. Well, I have to go it's getting late," Fuji replied before standing up and leaving.

'That was close,' I thought.

"Fuji's right. It's getting late, we should go," said Tezuka, now loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"Ja ne Ruri-chan!" said Eiji as they got up to leave.

"Bye, Senpai!" said Momoshiro, waving.

"Bye," was all Echizen said.

"Thank you for having us," said Kawamura nodding his head in Yushi and mine's direction.

"See you guys tomorrow!" I called as they parted ways at the end of the yard.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14

Warning: There might… maybe…most likely…be just a little itsy bit of yaoi and yuri, just a little bit. Promise. Probably won't know it's there most of the time. (from here to the end of the story)

"We have a practice match this afternoon with Fudomine" said Tezuka as we were getting ready to go change back into our school uniforms. "That means I'm leaving Haru in charge." Tezuka announced. He received a 'Hai!' before he nodded and said to continue to clean up.

"Aw~" whined Eiji as we headed to the changing rooms. "I won't get to play against you today."

"Eiji, I'll still be here tomorrow," I told him as we arrived at the changing rooms. "Besides you get to play against people who actually now what they're doing..."

"Hehe, right!" said Eiji pulling his school shirt on.

"Eiji..." I sighed before grabbing my bag, "C'mon Eiji, Fuji. We should get to class."

"Eiji, have you heard of a school called St. Augustine?" Fuji asked Eiji as he and the rest of the regulars that would be going to the practice match boarded the bus.

"St. Augustine?" repeated Eiji. "No, I don't think I have. Why?"

"Tezuka mentioned it to Ruri and she said it had been her old school. However I can't find any information on it," replied Fuji sitting down in the seat across from Echizen.

"Really? That's odd," said Eiji. "Oishi~ have you ever heard of a school called St. Augustine?"

"St. Augustine? Hmm, I think I've read about it somewhere...but I can't remember where..." said Oishi now deep in thought.

"St. Augustine is a school in Spain," supplied Echizen.

"Ah! I remember now!" exclaimed Oishi. "St. Augustine is the top tennis school in all of Europe!"

"All...of Europe?" whispered all of the regulars ('cept Tezuka, Fuji, and Inui of course) in complete disbelief. Even Fuji and Inui showed surprise at this bit of news.

"Mm," nodded Oishi. "It does make sense. Ruri's amazing at tennis and she's from Europe, Spain to be exact. And that's where St. Augustine is located."

"I hope the rest of the tennis team can survive her in charge than..." muttered Tezuka suddenly looking slightly troubled.

"What do you mean?"

* * *

"Okay! 40 laps around the courts!" I yelled, to the groaning of the tennis team. They had just finished doing 200 sit ups and push-ups each along with 200 racket swings, both sides. The state they were in, no wonder they had a hard time with a work out that paled in comparison to what we did at St. Augustine's. "C'mon! When you're done practice is over!" With grumbles that were most likely cursing me to the deepest depths of Hell they started their laps. About 20 minutes later showed them all nearly passed out on the ground. "Okay, practice is over! Go home!"

"Haru!" came a shout form the other side of the tennis courts. It was Eiji.

"Hey, how was your practice match?" I asked once he and the rest of the regulars were in hearing range.

"To easy," he replied, nose scrunching up. "Huh? W-what happened?"

"Oh, we just finished practice," I replied, suppressing a giggle.

"They look like they're going to die sempai…"stated Momoshiro, a look of shock and relief on his face.

"They'll be fine, trust me. I wouldn't work them to death," I replied a small smile appearing on my face. "Hey, do you guys want to come over or something? It's my turn to cook dinner."

"Can we?" asked Momoshiro glee coming onto his face, even Echizen looking happier than usual.

"Yes, plus it will annoy Yushi," I said grinning at the prospect of annoying my cousin.

"Hehe…"chuckled Eiji nervously, knowing of my sadistic tendency's that sometimes appeared at random times.

* * *

"Yushi~ I'm home!" I called as I walked through the door. "You guys can put your stuff over there," I said pointing to a spot by the couch in our living room, "I'm gonna be in the kitchen, make yourselves at home."

"Okay!" chirped Eiji, dragging Fuji and Echizen over the cupboard with the movies. There were hundreds of them. "Sugoi! What movie should we watch?"

"Ruri?" asked Yushi, when I walked into the kitchen. He and Gakuto were sitting at the table books and papers spread out about them.

"Hey Yushi, Gakuto-san. Homework?" I asked ignoring the silent question within my cousin's question, heading over to the fridge to get what I would need to make dinner. I was making enchiladas.

"No, studying. We have a test tomorrow," replied Gakuto-san, wrinkling his nose. "Math, bleh!"

"Are your friends staying for dinner?" asked Yushi ignoring Gakuto.

"Yeah, you don't mind do you?" I asked moving to set the food and the counter and pull out the pans.

"…You're making enchiladas?" he asked, eyeing the ingredients I had taken out.

"Yes."

"I don't mind," he said before grabbing Gakuto's attention and going back to studying. 'Plan A, successful!' I thought grinning to myself. Enchiladas were Yushi's weakness. Especially sense the only time he could have them was when he was visiting, well until I moved to Japan that is. 'Hehe.'

"Ruri, what'cha making?" asked Eiji, as he and the rest of the regulars appeared in the doorway about 20 minutes later. They all looked curious.

"Enchiladas," I replied, now making the sauce.

"What are enchiladas?" asked Eiji.

"You'll-"

"They're good," interrupted Yushi. "You'll like them."

"O-okay."

* * *

"Dinner's ready!" I called an hour later just as I finished putting everything on the table.

"Hai!" chorused everyone who was in the living room.

"Wah~ it looks delicious," commented Eiji.

"There's so much food," said Momoshiro.

"These are more spicy then the others," I said pointing to a tray set partly apart from the others, just as Yushi took one and put it on his plate. "Oh, and you should use a fork to eat them, much easier than trying to use chopsticks," grinning to myself as I remember Keigo trying to eat them with chopsticks. Thank god for cameras.

"Trying to cheat me out of blackmail Ruri?" asked Yushi sitting in a chair and eating his food.

"Actually, yes," I replied smiling, "Now eat. All of you, I don't want any leftovers."

"Oh, by the way…The rest of our team is coming over," said Yushi 10 minutes later, almost all the food was gone thanks to Echizen and Momoshiro who had decided to have an eating contest. Oishi had been trying to keep Eiji from maiming Fuji when he snuck wasabi on to his plate. Tezuka, Inui, and Kawamura just sat and ate, occasionally making a comment or in Tezuka's case to get Eiji to calm down.

"Why?" I asked curious. I didn't mind, it would make things much more interesting, no one was paying attention to the words my cousin and I were exchanging.

"I thought it would be interesting," he replied smiling, Gakuto sweat dropped.

"You two are so alike…"he muttered looking at us. We just smiled.

_Ding dong._

"I'll get it," said Yushi before anyone could move.

_Ding dong._

_Ding dong._

"I'm coming dammit!" called Yushi to whoever was at the door, though I had a good guess.

"Who do you think it is?" asked Momoshiro.

"Who knows?" replied Echizen.

"Must be something important if they kept pressing the door bell," said Oishi.

"Oh, I doubt its' important," I said looking in the direction when I heard voicing filtering in.

"Why do you think that?" asked Oishi.

"Ruri-chan!" yelled a voice suddenly before Jirou came flying through the door way and into me.

"J-jirou!" I admonished. "C-can't…breathe…"

"Ah! Sorry!" exclaimed Jirou stepping back as the rest of his team came into the kitchen.

"Ruri," said Keigo, inclining his head in my direction. "Tezuka."

"Atobe," came the stotic reply.

"What's Hyotei doing here?" asked Momoshiro.

"Yushi invited them," I replied. "Now get out, I need to clean up."

"What should we do?" asked Eiji, when everyone had found a place to sit in the living room.

"Truth or Dare!" said Gakuto smiling form his spot next to Yushi on the floor.

"Yeah!" agreed Momoshiro, grinning. I groaned, I had a feeling it wasn't going to end well.

"I'll go first," said Jirou. "Yushi! Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever kissed anyone?" asked Jirou, bouncing up and down on his spot on the coach, next to me and Keigo.

Yushi raised an eyebrow at this, apparently not expecting that question, "Yes. Inui, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," stated Inui with confidence.

"I dare you to make a drink even you can't stand," smirked Yushi.

"Ok. Shishido-san, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"Drink this," said Inui pulling out a liter of…something. It…kind of glowed and bubbled and was a bluish color. 'That is not natural,' I thought, leaning away slightly.

"uh…" Now Shishido didn't look as confident as he had a moment ago. "Okay."

I will spare you the details of what happened but needless to say, Shishido would no longer be playing, or joining the world of the living again for a while.

"I'll go since Shishido knocked himself out," said Gakuto grinning, "Ruri…Truth or Dare?"

"…" I didn't answer right away. Unlike everyone else in the room I had seen Yushi whispering to Gakuto while everyone was either trying to help Shishido or admonish Inui. I gulped before answering, "Dare."

Gakuto smirked and Yushi smiled. I was screwed, then and there. "I dare you and Atobe Bucho to kiss."

"E-eh?" stuttered Eiji.

"Ruri…"started Inui.

"And Atobe?" exclaimed Kawamura.

"Kiss…?" finish Fuji.

"Whatever," I replied. Though…I was sure Jirou wouldn't like it…Or Ashley for that matter but…a dare was a dare, wasn't it. Okay…I didn't like it much either, but by the looks of it, we weren't getting out of it.

"Gakuto…" growled Keigo, apparently not pleased. Jirou didn't look happy either; he had a frown on his face and looked like he wanted to kill Gakuto. He'd have to get in line.

"Ah, c'mon, it's not like you two are dating or anything, right?" asked Gakuto, making Yushi and Eji sweat drop. (Yushi knew because he was Yushi and Eiji knew because he was my closest friend in Japan, though I hadn't told him about Atobe and Jirou, just Ashley and I.) Atobe's and mine eyes twitched.

"Gakuto…" I muttered glaring at him darkly, he eeped, but didn't back down.

"C'mon it's just a kiss," he persisted.

"Ruri! Don't kill him!" Yushi almost yelled as I got up to strangle him. I growled but sat back down. "Keigo, do something about him. He's your teammate," I muttered darkly, glaring at Gakuto.

"I can't," muttered Keigo looking slightly less homicidal than me. "When he gets like this nothing fazes him.

I growled, Gakuto jumped. Yushi half stood up, I sank deeper into the couch.

I finally sighed 5 minutes later, "Let's just get this over with," I muttered to Keigo.

He sighed too. "Mm."

I shifted on the coach so that I was facing him. He did the same. Keigo lifted his hand up, as we leaned toward each other and lifted my chin up. It was just a brief pressing of lips but everyone else in the room looked like they had seen a ghost when we had pulled away from each other, even Tezuka Bucho. Jirou was still pouting. Keigo patted his knee.

"Um…you guys still alive?" I asked to one see if they were indeed alive, and two to try and break the silence that had settled in the room.

Keigo snorted at that, "Of course they're alive, and if they weren't then this would be much less awkward."

I sighed. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you guys at school." With that I left and went upstairs to my room where I changed into a pair of shorts and a tank-top, my makeshift pj's. I didn't bother going back down stairs, I'd find out what happened at school tomorrow.

"I watched the proverbial sunrise…Coming up over the Pacific and…You might think I'm losing my mind…But I will shy away from the specifics..."

"Hello?" I muttered in my cell phone as I flopped down on my bed.

"Ruri?" came the reply.

"Ashley! What's up?" my mood immediately improving.

"Nothing much, school just got out and I thought I'd call you to see how you were. So how are you?" she asked.

"Uuugggghhh," I groaned, not sure where to start. "I just played truth or dare with my friends and Yushi's teammates."

"And?" she asked, sounding amused.

"'And?' And I had to kiss Keigo. Do you know how weird it is to kiss someone that's practically your brother?"

"…"

"Ashley?" I said, slightly worried about her lack of response.

"Did you have too?" she finally asked, sounding completely and utterly defeated.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I know saying sorry probably won't help but…sorry."

"I'll talk to you later," she replied still sounding defeated.

"Ash, wait-"

_Click._

"Shit!" I cursed through my pillow at the wall, before burying my head in my pillow and screaming my heart out.

_Knock, knock._

"Go away Yushi" I muttered, knowing it was my cousin at the door.

"Your friends just left…I wouldn't be surprised if they asked you tomorrow why you're mad," came the muted reply, before fading away telling me my cousin had disappeared.

"Ash…" I muttered again before clutching my pillow to my chest.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15

A/N: I lied…there might be more than just a little, but just in a few chapters. And nothing to bad. Promise. *Offers pinky*

Disclaimer: I own all of Ruri's friends, that's it. I don't own Prince of Tennis.

"C'mon Ash…pick up," I muttered into my ringing phone. When her voicemail started I sighed before leaving a message, asking her to call me back as soon as she could.

"Senpai!" a voice suddenly called, I turned around to see Momoshiro waving at me and the rest of the regulars behind him.

"Hey guys," I replied giving a small smile.

"Morning Haru!" said Eiji, waving. "Thank you for having us over yesterday!"

"You're welcome," I replied. "Do you know what we're doing today Bucho?"

A brief smile passed over his lips before he replied, "Ryuzaki-sensei did not say."

"Tch," still not in the best of moods from the day before. Though I had an idea as to what we may be doing. You see, Ryuzaki had asked me to come up with a training regime that would push the regulars to their limit while also improving their stamina and endurance. I had suggesting going high up into the mountains and then doing a training regime that St. Augustine used when getting ready for the national tournaments. It consisted of 3 days of running, obstacle courses, and no tennis. Not until the last day. Oh and they would be wearing weights on both wrists and ankles.

"Glad to see you guys finally made it," chirped Ryuzaki-sensei.

"Morning sensei," I said yawning.

"We're going to the mountains!" she than announced, much to the regulars surprise.

"Eh? Why?" asked Eiji.

"Training, courtesy of Haru," replied Ryuzaki, grinning at my soon to be predicament.

"S-sensei…They're gonna kill me now…" I whined, knowing they would seriously want to kill me during training.

"When do we leave?" asked Tezuka, keeping the rest of the team from asking about my outburst.

"Now."

"Now?"

"Now."

"What?"

* * *

"Ne Ruri…Ryuzaki-sensei said she got the training regime from you…so you know what we're doing right?" asked Eiji. We had been on a bus now for about…an hour. Everyone was mostly silent except for the occasional conversations about where we were going. But at Eiji's question everyone turned their attention to me.

"Ryuzaki-sensei said I-"

"You can tell them," interrupted Ryuzaki-sensei grinning form her spot at the wheel.

"Mou…Ryuzaki-sensei asked me about a week ago what kind of training we did at my school. I told her about our regular training and then the training we did to get ready for nationals. She didn't tell me which she's going to use but for our training regime last year we would start out with running 5 miles, followed by about…200 sit ups and push-ups. After that we had practice matches most of the time. When we switched to our training regime for nationals, we about died, you see our training regime changes each year, as we get stronger and stronger. For nationals training we started out by heading to the mountains for a week. While we were there we ran 10-15 miles every day along with 400 sit-ups and push-ups. While we're there we don't so much as touch a tennis racket, we're also wearing weights that increase each day," I explained. "Of course this is just an estimate. This is what we did last year, I haven't bothered asking what kind of training they're doing this year…I kind of don't want to know…"

"You did all that in a day?" asked a skeptical Momoshiro. "How is that possible?"

"That's why St. Augustine is the best tennis school in Europe. We have the hardest training regime," I replied.

"That explains a lot…" muttered Kawamura.

"Have you even played seriously once since you came to Japan?" asked Eiji.

"…No," I replied after a while looking down.

"Even when you played Atobe?"

"I've never played seriously against Keigo," I replied, wondering how they would take this. "I've come close in the past, but never fully serious."

"Seriously?" asked Fuji, eyes open in surprise.

"Yes."

"What's your style of tennis Ruri?" asked Eiji while everyone else was digesting what I had said.

"I'm not sure…No one's ever asked me that," I muttered, seriously stumped by the question.

"Really?" asked Echizen.

"Mm."

* * *

"We're here!" announced Ryuzaki. I looked outside the window to see a fairly big cabin surrounded by forest. It was three stories tall and made of wood; it could also use a new paint job.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Eiji pressing up against the window to look outside.

"Food!" chorused Momoshiro and Echizen, making a dash for the exit.

"Momo!" chastised Oishi quickly following the two boys, Eiji close behind along with Tezuka, Kawamura, Inui, Kaido, Fuji, Ryuzaki-sensei and I.

"Leave them be Oishi," laughed Ryuzaki, "training starts at 6 a.m. tomorrow. Be ready!" declared Ryuzaki before she disappeared into the cabin.

Spain – 4 days after Seigaku leaves for training camp

"Last lap, c'mon!" shouted Belle, the captain. "Then we can leave for the exhibition in Japan!"

"Hai!" came the shouted reply of St. Augustine's Jr. High tennis regulars.

"You think we'll see Ruri?" asked Karin, the vice-captain.

"Hmmpf, who cares if we see her," muttered Ashley darkly; she was the manager for the team.

"What happened now?" asked Belle, the go between when Ashley and Ruri had an argument.

"She kissed Keigo."

"Did she explain why?"

"…Yes."

"Why did she kiss Keigo?"

"It was a dare…" Ashley mumbled now looking embarrassed.

"Then no harm done," stated Belle.

"We're done Capitan," said Ana.

"Can we go now?" added Lily.

"Yes, go get your things and we'll go to the airport."

"Yeah!" chorused the team, jumping and giving each other high-fives.

* * *

"We will be landing in 15 minutes, plus buckle your seatbelts," the flight attendant announced, stirring 7 foreigners from their sleep.

"Captain? Wake up," said Karin.

"You think the landing will wake her up?" asked Jessica.

"I doubt it," said Emily, "remember the time we went to America? We had to drag her off the plane before she woke up."

"Oh…right."

"You don't think we'll have to drag her off this time? Do you?" asked Ana.

"I can hear you…"growled a voice making the girls eep before retreating to their seats.

"The plane will be landing soon Belle," Karin informed her captain.

"Okay, we have three days before the tournament, so rest up," Belle informed her teammates, "we'll be staying with Ruri."

"Seriously?" asked Emily

"Sweet!" exclaimed Ashley.

"Does Ruri know?" asked Karin, raising an eyebrow. It was rare that she didn't know everything that was happening when they went out of the country.

Belle smirked before replying, "Yes, but I told her not to tell anyone. She should be at a district tournament with her school right about now."

"Were going there first aren't we?" asked Karin, grinning.

"Why are we still in our uniforms?" asked Ashley interrupting their conversation.

"A surprise for Japan, you could say," replied Belle.

"Huh?"

Tennis Courts – District Tournament's

"That training really paid off," said Ryuzaki. Eiji and Oishi had just won Doubles 1 6-0.

"It did…"muttered Inui writing in his notebook.

"Sugoi!" commented Eiji. "It was like they totally couldn't keep up!"

"Thanks, Ruri" said Oishi smiling at me while handing Eiji a towel.

"For what?" I asked...I couldn't remember what I could…have…done, "haha, you're welcome. Sorry I'm just a bit distracted." I was wondering how I was going to tell them my old school was in an exhibition in a few days.

"It's fine. Momo, you're up," said Oishi switching his attention to our Singles 3 player.

"Hai!"

"Hey…isn't that the…"

"Ah…It is…"

"Hey…Look…"

"Hmm?" said Inui looking up from his notebook to see several teams that were standing behind them whispering. "Fuji, do you know what they're talking about?"

"No, but I'd like to know," replied Fuji, blue eyes starting to appear.

"Inui-senpai, do you know what-"

"Ruuuuuuurrrrriiiii!" came a chorused shout, where the teams had been whispering, another team had appeared, an all-girl team. St. Augustine's Jr. High tennis regulars had arrived.

"Eh? Belle? Karin? Ashley! What are you guys doing here so soon?" I asked to the sudden silence over the court, most of the people not understand what I said except for the new arrivals and I.

"Hey, Ruri," said Belle moving down to where the Seigaku team was.

"You're here early," I commented when the whole team was there. The ref had gathered his wits and started Momo's match, despite the fact that everyone was very confused.

"Yeah, finished practice early," smirked Belle, "Now if you'll excuse us, besides Ashley, she's staying here, we will be leaving. See ya later!"

"Is it too early to kill her Ruri?" Ashley asked not seconds later, our teammates already long gone.

"No, no its not…" I murmured before facing her.

"Ruri?" asked Oishi, being the mother hen he was.

"Oh, Ash this is Oishi, he's the vice-captain. Tezuka over there is the captain the guy on the court is Momoshiro. Standing next to Oishi is his partner Eiji and next to him are Fuji, Inui, Kawamura, Kaido, and Echizen. Everyone," I smiled," this is Ashley, my best friend and occasional, very occasional doubles partner."

"It's nice to meet ya!" chirped Ashley.

"2-0," called the referee.

"He's not half bad," commented Ashley.

"They just came back from a training camp," I told her.

"It was hell," muttered Momoshiro as he switched courts.

"What'd they do?"

"The training we did for nationals last year."

"…Seriously?"

"Yup."

"Dang…It's going to be ten times harder this year then it was last year," commented Ashley referring to the national training they had just started before they came.

"…I'm kind of glad I had to come here now," I muttered. While most people would think she was exaggerating, she wasn't. If she said it was ten times harder, it was going to be ten times harder, Belle was like that. She would push you to the brink of death just to make you stronger. Like Yukimura.

"um…Ruri?" questioned Oishi. "Why were the St. Augustine Jr. High tennis regulars here?"

"We're playing in an exhibition match in a few days," replied Ashley. "You're welcome to come and watch it you like."

"Oh? I think we should go," stated Inui pushing his glasses up his nose while snapping his notebook shut.

"Can we go Bucho?" asked Momoshiro who had apparently just finished his match because his opponent had passed out.

"I see no reason why we could not," replied the ice block - I mean Tezuka.

"Sweet! Did ya hear that Echizen?" exclaimed Momoshiro.

"You're choking me Momo-senpai," muttered Echizen pulling his hat down further.

"C'mon Ruri, I have no idea where I'm going," interrupted Ashley, tugging my arm to get me to follow her.

"Huh? Oh, right. See you in a few days then!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16

A/N: The first new chapter I've posted in a long time. I do hope you enjoy it. And please review. Also, Re-read the prologue if you're still with me, I've added to (most) everything up to here but you really only need to re-read the prologue, I haven't changed the story line or anything major like that, just added some small details.

"Hey…hey! Get, Up!" exclaimed Karin in frustrated anger as she tried to wake up the rest of the girls still sleeping. I smirked before moving into the kitchen. I emerged with a pot and a metal spoon. I glanced at Karin and then Ashley, who were grinning like fools as they covered their ears. I smirked as I raised the two cooking instruments and banged them together several times. All of the girls shot up right as they were startled out of their sleep.

"Gah!"

"Uhhhhhn…"

"Wakey-wakey girls! We have an exhibition to get ready for," stated Karin as the sleepy girls turned glares in her direction. I quietly slipped back into the kitchen to replace the pot and spoon. When I emerged they had somehow managed to drag themselves out of bed and were in the process of dressing themselves.

I grinned before glancing at Ashley, she just rolled her eyes and I turned my attention back to the rest of my old team. "I made breakfast." That _one _statement had everyone scrambling for the kitchen, fully dressed or not. I laughed as Ash, Karin, and I trailed in behind them to help ourselves to food as well. Once everyone had eaten and finished getting dressed, we headed towards the closest train station to take us into the heart of Tokyo, where the exhibition was being held.

"It's so refreshing here," sighed Ana on our walk. "The men aren't chasing after us like lovesick puppies."

"Hmmf! You haven't meet Eiji then," I replied, glancing over at her. She stood at 5'7" with light brown hair that never reached her shoulders, hazelnut eyes offset by her naturally tan skin. Lily stood next to her, just an inch shorter but with long waist length silvery hair, blue eyes and dark skin. They were St. Augustine's best doubles team. _Ever_. Jessica and Emily made up the other doubles team. They were walking behind Karin and Belle, all four engrossed in conversation. Jessica was 5'5" with long ebony hair, dark grey eyes and stayed pale no matter how much sun she got. The height difference was more noticeable than with Ana and Lily. Emily stood at 5'3", had medium length dark purple hair and forest green eyes and was slightly darker skinned then her partner.

"Eiji?" parroted Ana.

"The red head form the district tourney's the other day?"

"Oh, he reminds me of a puppy," Ana giggled. Lily sighed and just shook her head, though she had a small smile on her lips.

"He's got energy like one too. Who bounces around at six in the morning? Ugh, I don't know how he does that," I muttered, sticking my tongue out and scrunching my face.

"Hey, there's the station," called Belle, pointing to a spot not too far ahead of us.

"Sweet," purred Lily, grinning. She along with the others sped up, including myself. We all had an unnatural love for tennis. Half an hour later found us in the heart of Tokyo. Everyone was grinning as we made our way to the sports district not too far from the station. The entire time people were pointing at us and whispering. Once the arena was in sight we stopped, grinning at each other before rushing towards it. I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement of my old team. Once we were inside I wished them the best of luck and headed to the reserved seats for 'close relations' to the team. Whatever that meant.

The arena was still rather empty; the matches weren't due to start for another half hour. St. Augustine would be playing against Rikkaidai. I guessed that most of the teams competing for the Japan Junior-High Nationals would be here to watch their possible future opponents at work. As more and more people I arrived I noticed my new teammates and Hyotei sitting on the other side of the arena. Eventually, it was time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you the girls from St. Augustine, here all the way from Spain," as the announcer was talking, they started walking out, decked out in full uniform. They wore a white tennis skirt with a dark purple razorback tank-top that had two red stripes running down the right side. "Today, they will be playing the three time Junior-High National Champions, Rikkaidai." As they were announced, they too walked out only from the opposite side. I watched as they sized each other up. Once they had set their bags down the two teams met at the net and bowed to each other before returning to their respective sides.

"The first match is Doubles 2; Marui Bunta and Jackal Kuwahara vs. Garza Jessica and Salazar Emily." As the four players walked onto the court, everyone quieted in anticipation. I watched as Jackal spun his racket and I heard Emily call smooth. She and Jessica won first serve. Jessica moved to the back as she got ready to serve; Emily crouched on the other side of the court in anticipation of the return. I saw Belle smirk just before Jessica let fly her serve. My eyes widened as I realized that Belle had given the go head to do whatever they wanted. Before anyone knew what had happened, the referee was calling 15-0. A shocked silence fell over the stadium; I suppressed a giggle. Every single Rikkaidai member was gaping in some form at the two girls currently on the court. Jessica raised an eyebrow as she got ready to serve again. Jackal and Marui never returned any of Jessica's serves for the rest of the game. When it was Rikkaidai's turn to serve, a fierce look of determination could be seen in their eyes. Jessica and Emily returned their serves without hesitation; winning them the game. I could hear the whispers from the crowd. I fought the laughter that was trying to make it way out of my mouth; girls could play tennis just as well as boys. For some people it was a hard lesson to learn, and from the looks of it, Jackal and Marui were learning it, as well as most of their team, sans Sanada and Yukimura.

Jackal and Marui used every move in their arsenal; to no avail. Nothing got past Jessica and Emily. Rikkaidai lost Doubles 2, 6-0. As they left the court I could see plans forming, so they could get stronger. Lily and Ana got up for the next match, Doubles 1.

"Doubles 1, Hiroshi Yagyuu and Masaharu Niou vs. Soto Lily and Aqua Ana," as the next match was announced I got up and moved to the other side of the arena.

"Hey guys. What d'ya think?" I asked once I was close enough to my new teammates and Hyotei.

"I don't want to play against you any more Ruri-chan," whined Eiji, glancing at the court where the match was about to begin.

"Hehe, really? That's too bad," I teased. "Besides I'm still training to get back up to that level. I'm not quite there yet."

"How close are you to being that level?" inquired Inui whose notebook had suddenly appeared.

I could hear the tennis ball as it was passed from one side of the court to the other. I looked over my shoulder at the scoreboard; they were tied 2-2. Once I turned back around I replied, "A few weeks, give or take a couple days."

"Mmm…When did you start training?"

"Uh…three weeks ago," I replied sitting down in an empty seat and turning half my attention to the match. The fifth game had turned into a rather interesting rally; Niou-san and Hiroshi-san were stuck at the base line.

"How are they doing that?" I heard Kawamura murmur; he was staring at the match with unwavering concentration. I grinned and let him, Momoshiro, Kaido, and Inui try and figure it out. I wasn't going to spill my (old) team's secrets, not without their permission.

"Ruri-senpai?" asked Echizen.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever played in any major tournaments?"

"Yep," I replied with a grin and didn't elaborate. I could feel as they waited for me to continue so I kept my gaze on the court where the rally had just ended as Niou-san and Hiroshi-san almost collided as they tried to get the ball in the middle of the court.

"Which ones?" pushed Fuji.

"Hmm, well there was this one in the U.K….Wum…Web…no, no. Um…" I suppressed the huge grin that wanted to appear.

"Wimbledon?" tried Inui.

"Ya! That's the one!" I watched as one by one the news clicked. "And I played in the French Open as well."

"_Two_ Grand Slams?" exclaimed Oishi fuku-buchou. I nodded and watched as he, Momoshiro, Kawamura, Eiji, and even Inui gapped like fish. While they continued to talk quietly I turned back to the match. Ana and Lily were easily holding off Niou-san and Hiroshi-san at this point. The score was now 4-2. I stifled a yawn as Rikkaidai tried to get the ball past Ana and Lily. I glanced up at the crowd; the reactions were mixed. Most were shocked but others appeared haughty, as if they could beat Rikkaidai if a bunch of foreign girls could. Doubles 1 didn't last much longer; Rikkaidai lost 6-2. I leaned forward as the next match was announced.

"Singles 3 will be Kirihara Akaya vs. Suero Ashley." The crowd tensed when the match was announced. I snorted in amusement; Kirihara didn't stand a chance. Kirihara won first serve. As they got in their places I saw Ash glance up, I smiled and nodded when her gaze landed on me. She nodded back and turned her full attention to the match. Once people started to realize that Kirihara couldn't use his demon tennis, exclamations of shock could be heard from all over the stadium. The match ended 6-3 in St. Augustine's favor. I watched as Yukimura congratulated and promised Kirihara to help him play without relying on his demon tennis.

"Singles 2, Sanada Genichiro vs. Espina Karin, please enter the court." I leaned forward in my seat as the two approached the net. I could see all the Rikkaidai players were just as focused as everyone else was on the match. No one spoke as the two vied for first serve. Karin got first serve. Both kept their service games and went into a tie break. My eyes didn't leave the court for anything. The two were almost evenly matched; or as evenly matched as you can get between a guy and a girl. At 20-20 both of them stood panting, glanced at the ref, glanced at each other and looked at the ref and said at the same time; "I can't continue."

"With a declaration from both competitors, this match is over. Singles 1, Yukimura Seiichi vs. Caro Belle will now begin."

As the two got ready for their match and cared for their vice-captains, I looked over the stadium. Several more people had arrived since the start of the exhibition. I recognized many of them as scouts. I stifled another yawn as the match was about to start. The crowd grew quite as the two approached the net. They exchanged greetings and decided who would be serving first; Yukimura won. He won his first service game, as did Karin. Karin got a return ace on his next service game. A rally ensued on the next serve. The way the two of them played, was mesmerizing. Neither gave an inch to the other. As the match continued, the moves used got more and more complicated.

The match ended 7-5, St. Augustine. Yukimura, the Child of God, had been defeated. The crowd sat in stunned silence before everyone erupted in cheers. It had been one of the best matches I had ever witnessed.

A/N: Well…What d'ya think? Good, bad? In-between? The upcoming chapters will have more detail of the matches. Promise :)


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